Russia’s finance minister walked into a G20 summit for the first time since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. But what did he walk out with?

On August 31, 2026, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov attended the G20 summit in Asheville, North Carolina, for the first time since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. This marked a significant shift in diplomatic relations between Moscow and Washington, as U.S. President Donald Trump had previously invited the Russian delegation to the summit in April 2022, despite widespread protests from Western countries.

The U.S. Treasury Department, however, did not extend an invitation to South Africa, which had previously faced accusations of genocide by the Trump administration. During the summit, Siluanov met with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to discuss U.S. President Trump's plan for ending the war in Ukraine and potential economic cooperation between the two nations.

Sources reported that Siluanov attempted to raise other areas of mutual interest; however, Bessent insisted that no progress could be made until the conflict ended. While the Treasury's undersecretary for international affairs described the meeting as "productive," European delegations, including Germany and Poland, objected to Siluanov's participation.

German Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil refused to participate in a group photo with Siluanov, stating that Russia must end the war before any normalcy could be achieved. U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen criticized the administration's decision to invite Siluanov, calling for new sanctions against Russia. Despite the controversy, Siluanov's attendance at the summit demonstrated Washington's willingness to engage with Moscow, even amid strong opposition from European allies.