Sanctioned Russian finance minister sparks friction at US-hosted G20

At a U.S.-hosted G20 summit in Asheville, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov—under U.S. sanctions—attended for the first time on American soil, drawing concern from Ukraine’s European allies who warned against treating Moscow as a normal participant. U.S. officials, including Treasury’s Scott Bessent, emphasized that Russia remains economically isolated and that sanctions policy would be pursued privately while the war in Ukraine continues. The sidelines talks underscored ongoing tensions over Russia’s role in the G20 amid calls from European partners not to normalize Moscow’s participation.