The United States is hosting the G20 of finance ministers and central bankers in Asheville, North Carolina, through Tuesday. On the first day of this summit, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, usually persona non grata, appeared among the delegates and was able to speak with his American counterpart Scott Bessent. Its presence has turned the European Union upside down.

Published on: 08/31/2026 - 02:03 Modified on: 09/01/2026 - 07:24

The United States, which hopes to rally European countries in its economic war against Iran, irritated its partners on Monday August 31 by inviting a Russian minister to the G20 Finance. This year, Washington is presiding over the grouping of the world's major economies, notably China, India, Japan and France.

The first meeting on their soil brings together finance ministers and central bankers until Tuesday in a majestic hotel complex at the foot of the Appalachians, in Asheville (North Carolina).

The host, American Finance Minister Scott Bessent, intends to take advantage of the event to promote his policies, particularly deregulation, but also to convince other countries to further isolate Tehran. Scott Bessent is in fact leading, through sanctions, the economic aspect of the American offensive against Iran, which military force has not succeeded in bringing down so far.

“We will continue to put pressure [on Tehran]. We have already had good discussions here,” he told the press on Monday at the start of the summit, a few hours after Washington began bombing Iran again. Present at the G20, the European Union (EU) seemed, in a press release, willing to toughen its own sanctions.

“Family photo” without the press

But frictions arose on Monday due to another war, that led since 2022 by Russia in Ukraine. Usually persona non grata, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov appeared among the G20 delegates. He was also able to speak with Scott Bessent. His arrival upset the EU, which asked that he be excluded from the “family photo” of the summit. This took place on Monday without the press, the organizers told AFP.

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“Welcoming the Russian Finance Minister here sends a signal that I find disturbing,” German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil told reporters.

“The president [Trump] and his government are not afraid to speak with the people who matter” with a view to “ending the endless bloodbath” in Ukraine, commented to AFP Kush Desai, a White House spokesperson dispatched to Asheville.

Bessent "clearly told" Sulyanov "that the United States will not grant any economic respite to Russia as long as the war in Ukraine lasts," reported a source requesting anonymity, familiar with the content of the meeting between the ministers.

"We'll see what happens. But we like to get along with everyone. One of the reasons why I'm so successful is that I get along well with everyone," said the head of state from the White House.

Before entering the main mountain-style building, with its facade adorned with large irregular stones, visitors pass in front of a reproduction of the White House. Its tenant, Donald Trump, has shaken up each of the G20 members since his return to power last year, at least by hitting their exports with new customs duties. Despite the Supreme Court's censorship of a large part of them, the American executive has just relaunched hostilities with Canada, a member of the G20 and G7 alongside the United States.

Also read: Canada responds to Trump's new tariffs with surcharges of 15 to 50%

Canada arrives “with a good state of mind”

Canadian Minister François-Philippe Champagne said Monday that he had come "with a good state of mind", "ready to discuss", before joining the large oval table which hosts the debates behind closed doors.

The G20 was established following the 1997-1998 Asian financial crisis to strengthen global economic and financial stability. Nineteen countries, the European Union (EU) and the African Union (AU) are permanent members.

South Africa was excluded from meetings this year by the American government which regularly accuses, without evidence, the authorities in Pretoria of persecuting white farmers.

The US Treasury has also refused to accredit several journalists working for the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal or the economic news agency Bloomberg. The American association of journalists National Press Club condemned the approach in the name of press freedom and asked the ministry to reverse course.

With AFP

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