Russia’s Finance Minister Anton Siluanov attended a Group of 20 finance ministers’ and central bank governors’ meeting in Bangkok on Thursday, marking his second in-person participation in the gathering since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. His presence exposed tensions between Washington’s efforts to restore engagement with Moscow and European resistance to treating Russia as a normal member of the international community.
Siluanov and Bank of Russia Deputy Governor Elizaveta Danilova were listed as Russia’s delegates at the meeting, held alongside the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank in Bangkok, Thailand. A seating plan seen by CNBC placed the Russian representatives between delegates from South Korea and the United Arab Emirates. A person familiar with the matter confirmed that Siluanov attended.
German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil was also listed among the participants. At the previous G20 finance meeting, held in August in Asheville, North Carolina, Klingbeil confronted Siluanov over the war in Ukraine and refused to appear with him in a group photograph. Following protests from European officials, the traditional photograph was taken without the Russian delegation.
Klingbeil maintained his opposition to Russia’s return to international engagement after Thursday’s meeting. “There will be no pretending that Russia is now returning as a normal member of the G20 and simply taking its seat at the table again — not with me, and not with the other Europeans,” he said, according to a Reuters report.
The United States, which holds the G20 presidency this year, has welcomed Russia’s finance minister back to the talks after years of international isolation following the invasion. The move comes amid broader efforts by the Trump administration to improve relations with Moscow, testing Washington’s ability to pursue that approach without further straining ties with European allies.
The administration has also introduced a deal to temporarily lift sanctions on Russian diesel imports until April, drawing criticism from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European partners. European Commission official Valdis Dombrovskis told CNBC on Wednesday that “now it’s not a time to ease sanctions on Russia”.
The war in Ukraine also featured in Australia’s response to the meeting. Treasurer Jim Chalmers said in a statement that Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz and attacks on commercial vessels “must end”. He added that the consequences were “exacerbated by Russia’s unprovoked and unjustifiable war in Ukraine”, reiterating Australia’s call for Moscow to end the conflict and respect Ukraine’s sovereignty.
The finance chiefs concluded their discussions without issuing a joint communique, reflecting continuing disagreements over the conflict in the Middle East, global trade imbalances and Russia’s war against Ukraine. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who would normally chair the discussions, skipped the meeting to remain in Washington.
The previous G20 finance meeting in Asheville also ended without a joint communique after China objected to proposed language on several issues, including efforts to address excessive global trade surpluses. Washington instead issued a chair’s statement supported by every member present except China, with Bessent describing Beijing as “the dissenter”.
The Bangkok talks had offered an opportunity to improve coordination on shared economic challenges, including energy disruptions linked to the Middle East conflict and concerns about record public debt in advanced economies. G20 leaders are expected to meet at the next summit in Miami in December.
