Officials from Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States walked out of the meeting when a Russian representative spoke, sources told Reuters news agency. The action exposed growing divisions over Russia’s continued presence in the consultative body.
Canadian Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, one of the steps taken, had previously indicated that the meetings in Washington are about supporting the global economy. “Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine is a serious threat to the global economy,” she said on Twitter. She added that Russia should not participate.
“The democracies of the world will not stand idly by in the face of continued Russian aggression and war crimes. Today, Canada and some of our democratic partners withdrew from the G20 plenary when Russia tried to intervene,” Freeland said.
to condemn
A spokesman for the British delegation said it would continue to work with allies to condemn Russia’s war against Ukraine in the strongest terms. The British are also pushing for stronger international coordination to punish Russia.
US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen reportedly told those present that she disapproved of the presence of a senior Russian official at the meeting. Yellen was said to have been one of the people who left the meeting, along with Andrew Bailey, governor of the Bank of England, as well as others.
European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde, meanwhile, urged that Russian official, Deputy Finance Minister Timur Maksimov, to send a clear message to Moscow. According to her, the war in Ukraine must be ended immediately.
Controversial
The finance ministers and presidents of central banks from the G20 countries are meeting in Washington. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has made Russia’s participation in G20 meetings controversial. For example, US President Joe Biden last month called for the country to be expelled from the G20.