Shafaqna Pakistan: The United States’ decision to allow Russia to participate again in a G20 finance ministers’ meeting on Monday, while restricting access for some journalists, drew disappointment from several finance officials attending the gathering and overshadowed Washington’s efforts to keep the focus on global economic growth.
The two-day meeting in Asheville, North Carolina, is taking place as the world economy faces several major challenges, including an energy shock stemming from the war involving Iran, growing concerns over China’s large trade surplus and uncertainty surrounding the long-term economic impact of the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence investment.
As US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent opened the meeting, some participating ministers expressed surprise and dismay at seeing Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov seated at the G20 table. It marked Siluanov’s first in-person participation in the forum since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Polish Finance Minister Andrzej Domanski told Reuters he was unhappy to see Russia represented, although he recognised the right of G20 hosts to invite guests.
“We do not trust Russia. They lie constantly and you need to be really, really cautious while discussing with them,” he told Reuters in an interview, stressing that Russia was the aggressor in its conflict with Ukraine.
“So for me it would be very difficult to have any kind of conversation with Russia.”
Siluanov also held a bilateral meeting with Bessent that covered financial cooperation within the G20 framework, Russia’s finance ministry said. A U.S. official said the focus of that meeting was on President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Ukraine. A source familiar with the discussions said Bessent told Siluanov no economic relief for Russia or agreements on other issues were possible until the war ends.
German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil said Europe was preparing a further package of sanctions against Russia, but Siluanov’s presence at the Asheville meeting sent a “quite troubling” signal for U.S. cooperation with the effort.
“I would have wanted greater clarity from the American side that he should not be received here as a normal guest,” Klingbeil said.
European officials also said they opposed appearing in the traditional “family photo” of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors, adding that this ultimately was taken without Siluanov.
His appearance marks a stark contrast from April 2022, when even his virtual participation in a G20 meeting in Washington drew broad condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and prompted a walkout by officials from the U.S., Britain, Canada and the European Central Bank.
Source: Dunya News
