G20 ministers dismayed over Russian invitation to meeting
The United States' move to welcome Russia back to a meeting of G20 countries while denying some journalists access to the gathering dismayed some finance leaders present.
G20 finance ministers expressed dismay over Russia's invitation to attend the meeting, following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent opened the two-day gathering, with Ireland's Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Simon Harris, European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde, and EU Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis in attendance.
The meeting aimed to discuss global economic growth amidst challenges such as an energy shock from the Iran war, tensions over China's trade surplus, and the impact of an AI investment surge. Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov was present at the G20 table for the first time since the invasion, sparking controversy. Polish Finance Minister Andrzej Domanski voiced his disapproval, emphasizing Russia's aggressiveness in the Ukraine conflict.
US officials stated that discussions centered on President Trump's peace plan for Ukraine. Germany's Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil mentioned preparations for additional sanctions against Russia. While global debt reached a record of nearly $353 trillion, Bessent advocated for growth as the key to overcoming this financial burden.
The US Treasury also invited private-sector experts to participate, reflecting the Trump administration's view on deregulation and innovation. Journalists faced restrictions, with some outlets facing denied credentials despite a reported 300 media covering the event.
Written by urgent.news from RTE News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
