WASHINGTON D.C.: In a show of protest against Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine, several finance ministers walked out of a closed-door G20 session in Washington this week, after Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov began speaking virtually.
Along with European and other Western officials who were in the meeting, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen took part in the walkout.
The G20 finance ministers gathered in Washington this week to coincide with the annual meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.
On Twitter, Canada’s finance minister Chrystia Freeland wrote, “The world’s democracies will not stand idly by in the face of continued Russian aggression and war crimes.”
She also tweeted a photo of officials who left the meeting, including Yellen, U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell and European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde.
Ahead of the meeting, U.S. officials had said Yellen would not participate in certain sessions of the gathering that included Russia.
Ukrainian officials, who spoke at the session as invited guests, also walked out during Russia’s presentation.
An official said finance ministers had earlier discussed plans to boycott Russia’s participation.
Earlier this month, Yellen said she had informed this year’s G20 host, Indonesia, that she would not participate in sessions that included Russia.
Ahead of the walkout, U.S. Treasury officials made clear it would not be business as usual when it came to Yellen’s interactions with Russian officials.
According to a senior U.S. Treasury official, Yellen will attend some sessions of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governor meeting when Russian officials are present, including the opening session, but she will not participate in all of them if Russians officials are in the room.
“President Biden’s made clear, and I certainly agree with him, that it cannot be business as usual for Russia in any of the financial institutions. He has asked that Russia be removed from the G20 and I have made clear to my colleagues in Indonesia that we will not be participating in a number of meetings if the Russians are there,” Yellen told the House Financial Services Committee.
While President Biden has said Russia should no longer be in the G20, ejecting Moscow would require the support of all members, which is unlikely as China has stressed it would not back Russia’s expulsion.
