Bessent Defends G20 Invitation to Russian Finance Minister Amid Ukraine War

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defended the decision to invite Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov to a G20 meeting in Asheville, North Carolina, stating that dialogue with Moscow is necessary to help resolve the war in Ukraine. The meeting, which concluded on September 1, marked Siluanov's first in-person appearance at the forum since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Bessent acknowledged that the Russian minister's presence caused unease among some European countries but argued that excluding Russia would make an eventual settlement more difficult. "I know that some Europeans had a sour taste, but I think its very important to engage," Bessent told reporters. He emphasized that the participation had not disrupted the work of the G20 finance ministers and central bank governors, noting that 19 out of 20 countries agreed to the meeting's chairs statement. The Treasury Secretary linked the invitation to President Donald Trump's preference for maintaining communication with other governments, including adversaries. "As President Trump says, he likes to get along with everyone," Bessent said.