Russia returns to the G20 in Bangkok at the invitation of the United States which irritates Europe

Russia’s finance minister attended a Group of 20 meeting in Bangkok on Thursday, his second in-person attendance at the event since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, testing the extent to which Washington’s rapprochement with Moscow will strain ties with Europe.

Anton Siluanov and Bank of Russia Deputy Governor Elizaveta Danilova were listed as Russian delegates to meetings of finance ministers and central bank governors on the sidelines of the IMF and World Bank annual meetings in Bangkok, Thailand, according to a seating chart seen by CNBC. Siluanov was present at the meeting, according to a person familiar with the matter.

According to the presentation document, Russian delegates were seated between participants from South Korea and the United Arab Emirates.

German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil was also on the list of participants. At the G20 financial meeting in August in Asheville, North Carolina, he told Siluanov that Moscow must end the war and refused to pose in a group photo with him. The traditional group photo was finally taken without the Russian delegation after protests from European officials.

Klingbeil has rebuffed US efforts to bring Russia back to the international stage, reportedly saying after Thursday’s meeting that “it will not be possible to pretend that Russia now returns as a normal member of the G20 and simply takes its place at the table – neither with me nor with the other Europeans.”

Russia’s seat at the negotiating table tests how far Washington can ease pressure on Moscow without breaking with its European allies. The United States, which took over the G20 presidency this year, welcomed Russia’s finance minister back to financial negotiations after years of isolation following the invasion of Ukraine.

The Trump administration also outlined a deal to temporarily lift sanctions on Russian diesel imports through April, drawing criticism from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his European allies. Dombrovskis told CNBC on Wednesday that “now is not the time to ease sanctions on Russia.”

In a statement released after Thursday’s meetings, Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers said Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz and attacks on commercial shipping “must stop.” These impacts “are exacerbated by Russia’s unprovoked and unjustifiable war in Ukraine,” he said, adding that Australia calls on Russia to end the war and respect Ukraine’s sovereignty.

Finance chiefs ended the meeting without a joint statement, highlighting continued divisions among members over the Middle East conflict, trade imbalances and the war between Russia and Ukraine. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who would normally chair the negotiations, skipped the meetings to stay in Washington.

The Asheville meeting also ended without a statement, after China objected to some language on several issues, including efforts to rectify excessive global trade surpluses. The United States instead issued a presidential statement supported by all members present except China, with Bessent calling China “dissident.”

Delegates began the day with a breakfast of baked goat cheese, spinach and egg puffs with chutney made from locally grown Bijin tomatoes, according to a menu card on site. The bread basket was accompanied by “Nam Dok Mai” mango jam. Each card bore the star-spangled logo of the U.S. G20 presidency and its slogan “Freedom 250,” marking America’s 250th anniversary.

Thursday’s meeting of finance ministers could have helped lay the groundwork for better coordination on a range of global challenges, including energy problems stemming from the Middle East conflict and concerns over record public debt in advanced economies. The leaders are expected to meet at the next G20 summit in Miami in December.