'Discomfort' at G20 finance talks as US hosts Russian minister
ASHEVILLE, US: The Russian finance minister’s presence at US-hosted G20 talks has cast a shadow over the gathering, as Washington pushed Tuesday to rally support from partners on Iran sanctions and on reducing trade imbalances.
As Canadian Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne stated, the presence of Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov at the US-hosted G20 talks has caused discomfort among participants. The G20 finance ministers and central bank governors are gathering in Asheville, North Carolina, to discuss Iran sanctions, reducing trade imbalances, and addressing other global economic concerns.
Siluanov's attendance, despite Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, has led some to question the appropriateness of normalizing Russia's presence at such gatherings. EU economy chief Valdis Dombrovskis emphasized that Moscow's inclusion requires discussions about sensitive economic matters with a government that is "waging an aggressive war" in Ukraine and "killing civilians on a daily basis."
Germany has also blamed Russia for an attempted hybrid attack on a strategic airport, leading to diplomatic countermeasures. The US Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, hosted Siluanov in a bilateral meeting, but the US official noted that Bessent pushed for President Trump's peace plan on Ukraine and did not pressure Russia to cut its support for Iran.
With the US holding the G20 presidency, Washington aims to boost economic growth and address trade imbalances, which may impact the overall outcome of the talks.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
