Trump reveals why US invited Russian minister to G20 Summit
Photo: Donald Trump (GettyImages)
US President Donald Trump explained Washington's decision to invite Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov to the G20 meeting, despite Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine, according to The New York Times.
What Trump says
Trump responds to journalists' questions about the reasons for the Russian minister's participation in the G20 finance ministers' meeting in Asheville, North Carolina. According to the US President, Washington seeks to maintain relations with all countries.
Trump says that he likes to get along with everyone and that one of the reasons for his success is that he gets along with everyone.
Russia's participation caused tension
According to The New York Times, Siluanov's appearance caused diplomatic tension at the meeting.
This was the first time the Russian minister had personally attended a G20 event of this kind since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The invitation to the Russian representative drew criticism from the European allies. In particular, German Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil criticized Siluanov's presence amid Russia's ongoing aggression.
European representatives stated they were prepared to boycott the traditional group photo of the meeting’s participants if the Russian minister were to appear in it. As a result, according to The New York Times, Siluanov was not present in the group photo.
On the sidelines of the G20 summit in Asheville, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent held a meeting with the Russian delegation, during which, according to US media reports, President Donald Trump's plan to resolve the war in Ukraine was discussed.
