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PoliticsGerman Vice Chancellor Klingbeil blocks G-20 family photo with Russian finance minister
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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.
Source report
Finance Minister Klingbeil. Source: Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa
Russia's finance minister has been permitted to attend the G-20 meeting. Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil has sharply criticized this decision and organized a European photo boycott.
Russian Finance Minister's Presence Draws Criticism
The ministerial meeting of the G-20 group of leading industrial and emerging nations, held in the United States, has sparked controversy. The Russian finance minister was seated at the table, while major US media outlets were denied access.
At recent G-20 meetings marked by significant discord among members, Russia's finance minister was typically represented by state secretaries. This changed in Asheville, North Carolina, where Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov is participating in person.
German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil (SPD) strongly criticized the decision. "The signal of receiving Siluanov is irritating," the Vice Chancellor said on the sidelines of the meeting. Given Russia's "brutal war" against Ukraine, he said he had hoped for more clarity from the hosting Americans. "There is no normal situation with Russia right now," Klingbeil emphasized.
Russia's Finance Minister Anton Siluanov (2nd from left). Source: Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa
Klingbeil's Direct Confrontation and Photo Boycott
Klingbeil stated that he directly addressed Siluanov during the sessions, calling on him to end the war. He also made clear that Germany would continue to support Ukraine.
A joint photo of all finance ministers was prevented following intervention by European officials. Traditionally, G-20 meeting participants gather for a "family photo." According to "Politico" reporter Rasmus Buchsteiner, Klingbeil advocated for a boycott among other European G-20 states. The pressure proved effective: ultimately, a picture was taken with European representatives only, excluding Russian officials.
Press Access Restrictions
The treatment of the press by the US hosts also caused problems. Initially, journalists from both Bloomberg and The New York Times were not permitted to report on the meeting. According to delegation sources speaking to the news agency dpa, the German Finance Ministry attempted to intervene at a high diplomatic level with the US government.
- Outcome: The Berlin correspondent for The New York Times eventually received accreditation.
- Unresolved: Efforts regarding Bloomberg were unsuccessful.
The German government described the approach toward an international news agency as unprecedented and unacceptable. Klingbeil stated: "I consider it unacceptable that journalists or entire editorial offices are excluded. I made that clear as well."
With reporting by dpa and Reuters
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German finance minister leads European boycott of G20 photo with Russian counterpart