G20 finance leaders close talks marked by US welcoming Russia
US treasury chief Scott Bessent says near-unanimous agreement on the final statement shows Russia’s attendance has had 'no impact'.
G20 finance ministers concluded their two-day meeting on Tuesday with a statement supporting almost all participants, with all but China agreeing to the chair's final declaration. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent claimed that the attendance of Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov did not influence the discussions. Europe's frustration was evident after Siluanov was welcomed at the US-hosted meetings in Asheville, North Carolina.
The Middle East conflict and President Trump's tariffs were among the topics of discussion. The chair's statement called for free, safe, and predictable navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, though China disagreed with that section. A traditional family photo of G20 participants was taken without Siluanov following European officials' protests.
EU Economy Chief Valdis Dombrovskis said that normalizing Russia's presence at such events is not the time, noting that Moscow's inclusion means discussing sensitive economic matters with a government waging an aggressive war in Ukraine. However, Bessent argued that it is important to engage and that the finance minister he met with is unsanctioned.
The tension also arises as Germany blamed Russia for an attempted hybrid attack involving a drone at a German airport last month, unveiling diplomatic counter-measures. The US, holding the rotating G20 presidency, pushed for support from partners on Iran sanctions and reducing trade imbalances. China raised concerns about a declaration on excessive and persistent imbalances, criticizing excess industrial capacity in China as unfair competition. Meanwhile, the G20 finance talks set the stage for a leaders' summit in December in Miami.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
