Donald Trump welcomes Russia to G20 amid criticism from European leaders and US lawmakers

President Donald Trump defended Russia’s presence at the G20 finance meeting, which took place on Monday, August 31, 2026, despite expressions of disapproval from European authorities. Russian participation in the meeting generated an intense diplomatic debate.

When asked about the matter, Trump told reporters: “We’ll see what happens, but we like to get along with everyone. One of the reasons I’m so successful is that I get along with everyone.”

The United States hosted Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov at the G20 financial summit held in Asheville, North Carolina. The meeting was attended by finance ministers, central bank presidents and other international figures from the 20 largest global economies.

Russia has maintained its membership in the G20, but the country’s finance minister has been physically absent from the group’s summits since the large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. European officials have maintained a firm commitment to isolating Moscow due to the war.

On this occasion, however, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met with his Russian counterpart on the sidelines of the event in Asheville. Russia’s Finance Ministry said the pair discussed financial cooperation and interaction within the G20 framework.

A Treasury spokesman said Bessent and Siluanov talked about Trump’s peace plan for Ukraine and economic growth. A source familiar with the matter indicated that Bessent ruled out any economic relief for Moscow while the war in Ukraine continues.

The US Treasury and the White House were approached for comment.

Russia’s planned presence was not publicly announced by the United States before the meeting began.

European leaders expressed anger at the move, and some reportedly refused to take part in a group photograph if Siluanov had been present. Instead, Bessent posed for an individual photo alongside Siluanov, outside the context of the official record of the meeting.

Criticism from European leaders and US lawmakers of Russia’s presence

German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil told reporters that he “would have wished the Russian Finance Minister had not been welcomed here at the G20 in the US as a normal guest.”

He added that “every day, people die due to Russian attacks. You cannot simply return to normality under these circumstances.”

Klingbeil also made a point of making it clear to his European colleagues that he would not pose alongside Russia’s finance minister for the G20 group photo.

The final so-called “family photo” notably did not include Siluanov alongside ministers and senior officials from other participating countries.

Polish Finance Minister Andrzej Domanski said he was dissatisfied with Russia’s representation, although he acknowledged the G20 hosts’ right to invite their participants.

“We don’t trust Russia. They constantly lie and you have to be very, very cautious when discussing with them,” he said. “So for me, it would be very difficult to have any kind of conversation with Russia.”

Russian participation also provoked the ire of lawmakers in the United States.

Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, declared: “While Russia kills civilians in Ukraine, the White House hosts Putin’s sanctioned Finance Minister on American soil. The Trump administration needs to pressure Putin and his cronies, not give them a platform. With the House back in D.C., it’s time to pass sanctions against Russia.”

A package of tougher sanctions against Russia – pushed by the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham – is advancing through Congress after being approved by the US Senate in early August.

Democratic leaders on Monday, September 1, 2026, jointly called on the White House not to wait to restart stalled sanctions against Russia.

In a joint statement, Representatives Don Beyer, Gregory Meeks, Richard Neal and Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ron Wyden stated that “Donald Trump already has broad authority to impose sanctions on companies, individuals and vessels that support a Russian war machine that continues its deadly attacks on Ukraine. Congress does not need to authorize new tariffs for the President to impose these sanctions on Russia today.”

Past objections by US officials to Russia’s presence at G20 meetings

In the past, US officials have strongly opposed Russia’s participation in G20 meetings.

Asked in March 2022 whether Russia should be removed from the G20, President Biden responded: “On the last point, my answer is yes. That depends on the G20.” If members could not reach an agreement to remove Russia, Biden suggested that Ukraine be invited to attend and observe G20 meetings.

During a meeting of senior global finance officials in April 2022 in Washington for the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, former US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and officials representing Britain, Canada and the European Central Bank walked out when Siluanov began addressing the meeting virtually.

“My decision to work with others to leave when the Russian Finance Minister began speaking was intended to make clear that Russia’s behavior violates and is so offensive to international norms that we are not willing to allow Russia to participate in or hear what the Russians have to say,” Yellen said at a subsequent press conference.

The administration underscored its opposition to Russia’s inclusion in international forums during another meeting with G20 finance ministers in Indonesia in July 2022.

On that occasion, Yellen declared: “Russia’s actions are not those of a government that upholds international norms and laws. Representatives of the Putin regime have no place in this forum.”