German vice-chancellor confronts Russia's finance chief at G20, calls his presence 'irritating'
"I told him directly in his face that the Russian government must end this war," German Vice-Chancellor Lars Klingbeil said.
During the G20 finance ministers meeting in Asheville, German Vice-Chancellor Lars Klingbeil confronted Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov over Moscow's aggressive actions against Ukraine. Klingbeil expressed his irritation with Siluanov's presence, stating that he had hoped for clearer communication from the U.S. regarding his inclusion.
The Russian finance minister had not attended any G20 finance ministers meeting since Russia initiated its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Klingbeil directly communicated with Siluanov, urging Russia to cease the war and emphasizing that Germany steadfastly supports Ukraine. He firmly opposed taking a group photo with Siluanov, an opinion shared by other European representatives.
The group photo was ultimately taken without the Russian finance minister and away from media coverage. When asked about Siluanov's invitation, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that the administration was open to engaging with all parties. Following the meeting, Siluanov had a separate discussion with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to explore a potential peace plan for Ukraine.
However, a Ukrainian official denied any knowledge of this encounter, citing it as an attempt to normalize relations with Russia despite the ongoing conflict. Klingbeil emphasized that the mere presence of Siluanov after four G20 meetings without Russian participation signaled an effort to normalize ties, and he stressed the need to resist this normalization.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Independent's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
