German finance minister leads European boycott of G20 photo with Russian counterpart
At the G20 finance ministers' meeting in Asheville, North Carolina, German Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil organized a European boycott that prevented the traditional group photo from including Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, who attended in person for the first time since the Ukraine invasion. The U.S. invited Russia under former President Donald Trump, sparking a diplomatic rift. European ministers condemned Russia’s presence, while U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met separately with Siluanov.
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Russian finance minister invited by Trump draws objections at G-20 meeting
The Russian finance minister, invited by former U.S. President Donald Trump, attended a G-20 finance meeting, drawing strong objections from European leaders. Multiple news outlets, including The Washington Post, Politico, Reuters, Bloomberg, and The New York Times, reported on the controversy. European officials bristled at Russia's return to the G20 forum, protesting the U.S. invitation. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met with the Russian finance chief at the gathering, highlighting a diplomatic rift between the U.S. and Europe over engagement with Russia amid ongoing tensions. The event underscores divisions within the G20 over Russia's participation following its invasion of Ukraine.
Trump welcomes Russia back to G20; Europe objects to Russian minister invitation
A diplomatic rift has emerged at the G20 finance meeting in South Africa, where the United States, under President Donald Trump, invited Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov to participate. This move has drawn strong objections from European nations, who argue that Russia should remain isolated due to its ongoing war in Ukraine. The invitation marks a significant shift in U.S. policy, reversing the previous administration's stance of excluding Russia from multilateral forums. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reportedly met with his Russian counterpart but made clear that no economic relief would be provided until the war in Ukraine ends. European officials have protested the invitation, emphasizing that Russia's aggression should not be normalized. The incident highlights growing transatlantic tensions over how to handle Russia, with the U.S. pursuing a more conciliatory approach while Europe maintains a hardline stance. The G20 meeting has thus become a flashpoint for broader disagreements on Ukraine policy.
Europeans bristle at Russia's return to G20 after Trump invitation
European officials have strongly objected to Russia's return to the G20, following an invitation extended by former U.S. President Donald Trump to Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov to attend a G20 finance meeting. The move has sparked a diplomatic rift, with European nations arguing that Russia's participation is inappropriate given its ongoing war in Ukraine. Multiple major news outlets, including Reuters, The Washington Post, Politico, Bloomberg, and The New York Times, have reported on the controversy. The reports highlight that U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met with the Russian finance chief at the G20 gathering, further angering European delegates. The incident underscores deepening transatlantic divisions over how to engage with Russia, with Europe maintaining a hardline stance while the Trump administration pursues a more conciliatory approach. The G20 finance meeting has become a flashpoint for these conflicting strategies.
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Russia Joins G20 Summit After Trump Invite, Sparking Massive Backlash from European Leaders
Russia attended the G20 finance summit in North Carolina on Monday for the first time since its invasion of Ukraine four years ago, at the invitation of former President Donald Trump. Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov and Central Bank representatives participated, drawing immediate condemnation from European leaders. German Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil publicly scolded Siluanov, demanding an end to the war and criticizing the U.S. for treating Russia as a normal guest. Tensions escalated over the summit's group photo, with European officials threatening a boycott unless Siluanov was excluded. The photo was ultimately taken without him, though Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent posed separately with the Russian official. The Trump administration did not announce the invitation beforehand. The article notes Trump's long-standing advocacy for Russian inclusion in Western economic forums, including past proposals to readmit Russia to the G7. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin attended a separate summit in Kyrgyzstan with Chinese and Iranian leaders.
German Finance Minister Klingbeil Boycotts G-20 Photo with Russian Counterpart
At the G-20 finance ministers' meeting, German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil boycotted the group photo with his Russian counterpart, sparking an 'eklat' (clash). According to Rasmus Buchsteiner, Chief Correspondent Berlin at Politico, Klingbeil has gained allies among other European finance ministers in this diplomatic protest. The incident highlights ongoing tensions between Western nations and Russia over the war in Ukraine, with European finance ministers increasingly coordinating their stance against Russian participation in international forums. The boycott occurred during the G-20 finance ministers' gathering, where the traditional group photo was disrupted by Klingbeil's refusal to be photographed alongside the Russian finance minister. This move signals a hardening of European diplomatic positions toward Russia within multilateral economic institutions.
German Vice Chancellor Klingbeil prevents G-20 photo with Russian finance minister
At the G-20 finance ministers' meeting in Asheville, North Carolina, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov participated in person, a departure from recent meetings where Russia sent only state secretaries. German Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil (SPD) sharply criticized Russia's presence, given its ongoing war in Ukraine. Klingbeil directly addressed Siluanov in sessions, calling for an end to the war and reaffirming German support for Ukraine. He organized a boycott among European G-20 states, preventing the traditional 'family photo' that would include Russian representatives; instead, a separate photo was taken with European ministers only. Additionally, the US hosts faced controversy for initially denying accreditation to journalists from Bloomberg and the New York Times. The German Finance Ministry intervened diplomatically, securing accreditation for the NYT correspondent but not for Bloomberg. Klingbeil condemned the press restrictions as unacceptable.
Klingbeil blocks G-20 photo with Russian finance minister; White House defends invitation
At the G-20 finance ministers' meeting in Asheville, North Carolina, German Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil sharply criticized the participation of Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, given Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine. Klingbeil organized a boycott among European finance ministers, preventing a traditional group photo that included Russian representatives. The White House defended the invitation, stating it is working with Moscow on an agreement to end the bloodshed in Ukraine, with spokesman Kush Desai emphasizing the administration's willingness to talk to necessary parties. President Donald Trump also commented, saying he likes to get along with everyone. Additionally, the US hosts faced criticism for initially barring journalists from Bloomberg and the New York Times from covering the meeting; the NYT correspondent later received accreditation, but Bloomberg's request remained denied, which the German government deemed unacceptable.