Russian Finance Minister Attends G20 in Asheville, Meets US Treasury Secretary; EU Ministers Protest

Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov participated in the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting in Asheville, North Carolina, on August 31, 2026. This marked the first time a Russian minister attended such meetings since the start of the war in Ukraine. On the sidelines, Siluanov held a bilateral meeting with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, during which they discussed President Donald Trump's 'peace plan' for the Russia-Ukraine war, according to the US Treasury Department. The presence of Siluanov angered European officials, who protested his inclusion in the traditional 'family photo.' German Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil and other European counterparts threatened to boycott the photo if Siluanov participated. The threat appeared to work, as the Russian minister ultimately did not appear in the photo.