European ministers reject photo with Russian counterpart at G20 meeting in North Carolina

Diplomatic confrontation in Asheville

Finance ministers from the Group of 20 nations gathered for a two-day meeting in Asheville, North Carolina, under the United States presidency. The presence of Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, attending an in-person G20 session for the first time since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, triggered immediate resistance from European delegations. European ministers refused to pose alongside Siluanov for the traditional group portrait. Following European objections, the official family photograph proceeded without the Russian minister or his delegation.

The joint action of the Europeans, and I am very grateful for that, ultimately meant that this family photo took place without the Russian finance minister, without the Russian delegation.

European resistance to normalization

German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil described the US decision to invite Siluanov as irritating, stating that the Russian envoy should not have been received as an ordinary guest. During the closed-door working sessions, Klingbeil directly addressed Siluanov, demanding that the Russian government end its war in Ukraine and confirming that Germany will continue its military and financial support for Kyiv. Other European officials joined in confronting the Russian representative, including British Finance Minister John Healey and European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde, who both delivered direct statements to Siluanov. Klingbeil rejected any notion that the meeting represented a normalisation or easing of relations, noting that Russia bears sole responsibility for ending the conflict.

Bilateral contacts and policy agenda

The White House defended the invitation extended to Russia for the ministerial talks in Asheville. White House spokesperson Kush Desai explained that the administration works with Moscow toward an arrangement to stop the fighting in Ukraine.

The president and the administration will never shy away from talking to the people we need to talk to to advance this.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met separately with Siluanov on the sidelines of the meeting. During the bilateral discussion, Bessent promoted a 28-point peace plan backed by President Donald Trump, a framework that previously faced sharp criticism from Ukraine and European governments for reflecting Moscow's demands. In his formal opening address to the G20 ministers, Bessent stated that the meeting aims to foster economic growth and prosperity while returning the forum to its original mandate. He called on delegates to tackle sovereign debt burdens facing developing economies, resolve international financial imbalances, and assist Washington in economically isolating Iran.

Media restrictions and future summit

The ministerial meeting also saw disputes over press access, as US hosts initially blocked reporters from Bloomberg and The New York Times from covering the event. After German officials intervened at a high diplomatic level, a Berlin-based correspondent for The New York Times received accreditation, while Bloomberg remained barred from the venue. Delegations and social media teams were also prohibited from photographing the ministerial group portrait, reserving image rights exclusively for the US presidency. Concerns remain among European partners regarding Trump's approach toward Moscow, including the potential invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin to the G20 leaders summit scheduled for mid-December 2026 at a Trump golf club in Miami, Florida.

I consider it unacceptable that journalists or entire editorial teams are excluded. I made that clear as well.