U.S. President Donald Trump publicly commented on Washington's decision to invite Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov to the G20 finance track meeting in Asheville (North Carolina), despite the ongoing Russian war against Ukraine. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing a publication by The New York Times. The Russian minister's appearance on the venue became one of the most discussed episodes of the summit and caused noticeable diplomatic tension among U.S. allies.
'We Love Getting Along With Everyone'
In response to journalists' questions about the reasons for the Russian minister's participation in the G20 finance track meeting, Trump referred to Washington's overall line, which, according to him, seeks to maintain relations with all countries. 'We love getting along with everyone. One of the reasons for my success is that I get along with everyone,' the U.S. president stated. Thus, the U.S. administration positions Siluanov's invitation not as a signal of political support for Moscow, but as a continuation of the open-contact tactic familiar to Trump.
Diplomatic Tension in Asheville
According to The New York Times, Siluanov's presence became a source of diplomatic tension at the meeting. The Russian minister attended such a G20 event in person for the first time since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The invitation of a Moscow representative drew dissatisfaction among U.S. European allies: in particular, German Vice-Chancellor and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil criticized Siluanov's presence against the backdrop of ongoing Russian aggression. European representatives also stated they were ready to boycott the traditional group photo of participants if the Russian minister appeared in it. In the end, according to The New York Times, Siluanov was not present in the group photo.
Meeting with Bessent and a Settlement Plan
On the sidelines of the G20 summit in Asheville, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent held a meeting with the Russian delegation. According to American media, the talks discussed President Donald Trump's plan for resolving the war in Ukraine. The meeting on the finance track thus became not only a formal element of the G20 program, but also a channel for broader political consultations between Washington and Moscow.
Contradictory Data
The statements of the parties show a difference in the interpretation of the same event. The American side, represented by Trump, presents Siluanov's invitation as a routine demonstration of readiness to 'get along with everyone' and an element of normalizing working contacts. European allies, by contrast, characterize the Russian minister's presence as a provocation against the backdrop of the ongoing war and openly criticize this decision, threatening to boycott the group photo. In addition, sources offer different formulations of the format: some materials call the event a 'G20 finance block meeting,' others a 'G20 summit,' and the outcome with the group photo (Siluanov's absence from the photo) is confirmed mainly through a single chain — The New York Times. These discrepancies in emphasis and in the description of the format should be taken into account when interpreting the episode.
Siluanov's Speech: AI and Import Substitution
Anton Siluanov himself, speaking at the G20 venue in the U.S., outlined new growth points for the Russian economy, among which he named the development of artificial intelligence and the course on import substitution. Thus, the Russian side used the visit not only for bilateral contacts with the U.S. financial authority, but also for a public presentation of its own economic priorities on the international arena.
