United States Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has told Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov that Washington will not provide economic relief or reach agreements on other matters with Moscow until the war in Ukraine ends.
Bessent made the position clear during a bilateral meeting with Siluanov on the sidelines of the Group of 20 finance ministers and central bank governors’ meeting in Asheville, North Carolina.
According to Reuters, Siluanov raised areas of mutual interest during the meeting, but Bessent firmly interrupted to make clear that “nothing is possible until the war is over”.
The talks reportedly focused on President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war in Ukraine, as well as possible financial cooperation between the two countries within the G20 framework.
The meeting came amid growing tensions over Russia’s return to the G20 finance discussions. Siluanov’s attendance marked his first in-person participation at a G20 meeting since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
His presence drew strong objections from European officials, with several governments expressing concern that Russia’s participation could undermine efforts to maintain pressure on Moscow.
German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil said Europe was preparing another package of sanctions against Russia and described Siluanov’s presence at the Asheville meeting as a troubling signal about US cooperation with European efforts to maintain economic pressure on Moscow.
European officials also opposed appearing alongside Siluanov in the traditional G20 “family photo”. The photograph was subsequently taken without the Russian finance minister.
The rare bilateral meeting between Bessent and Siluanov nevertheless demonstrated Washington’s willingness to maintain high-level communication with Moscow, even as European governments continue to push for tighter sanctions and greater diplomatic isolation of Russia.
Siluanov’s return to the G20 forum marks a significant shift from the early months of the Ukraine war, when Russia’s participation in international economic meetings triggered widespread protests from Western officials.
The US-hosted G20 meeting in Asheville is focused broadly on global economic growth, debt and financial stability, but Russia’s participation and the war in Ukraine have emerged as major points of contention among participating governments.
Boluwatife Enome
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