Trump Reopens G20 to Russia, Europe Pushes Back

Trump’s decision to include Russia in a U.S.-hosted G20 gathering in Asheville, NC, signals a pivot from the Biden era’s isolation approach and sparks sharp European backlash. Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov attended the plenary and met Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who pressed that no economic relief or action is possible until the war in Ukraine ends. The move prompted criticism from European officials and lawmakers, with tensions evident in the group photo and public commentary, while the White House defended the decision as following its protocol.