Several finance ministers and central bankers, including finance minister Janet L. Yellen and Ukraine’s finance minister, Serhiy Marchenko, abruptly left a Group of 20 meeting on Wednesday in protest when Russian finance minister Anton Siluanov began to speak. speak, according to a person familiar with the meeting.
The strike was a stark demonstration of Russia’s isolation on the world stage and came as the United States and its allies spent the opening days of the spring meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund grappling with how the fallout from Russia’s war in Ukraine would affect Ukraine. to check. Top economic officials from around the world have gathered in Washington and virtual to discuss ways to maintain economic pressure on Russia without further rocking the global economy.
In Wednesday’s meeting, Mr. Siluanov and Russian officials took part virtually. Some finance ministers and central bank governors who also attended virtually turned off their cameras when Siluanov spoke, the person familiar with the meeting said.
President Biden has asked for Russia to be removed from the Group of 20. The Treasury Department said this week that Ms Yellen would make it clear this week that it should not be the normal course of business for Russia in the global economy, and that the Finance Minister would not participate in some meetings when Russia is present.
The United States and its allies in Europe and Asia have imposed sweeping sanctions on Russia, plaguing the economy but also slowing growth around the world.
The Biden administration has called for Russia to be avoided from international meetings and excluded from financial institutions, but there is currently insufficient international support to remove them from the Group of 20.
Among those who also left the meeting were Jerome H. Powell, the chairman of the Federal Reserve, Christine Lagarde, the president of the European Central Bank, Andrew Bailey, the governor of the Bank of England and Chrystia Freeland, the deputy prime minister. of Canada and Secretary of the Treasury.
Ms Freeland said on Twitter: “The democracies of the world will not sit idly by in the face of continued Russian aggression and war crimes.”
Ms Yellen will meet on Thursday with Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal of Ukraine and Mr Marchenko.
A Treasury Department spokeswoman said she would underline America’s determination to hold Russia responsible for the war and give Ukraine the aid it needs.
