via Associated PressIndonesia will chair the G20 in 2022 (photo taken February 18, 2022).
WAR IN UKRAINE – Towards a G20 without Russia? US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who will represent the United States at this week’s G20 financial conference, will boycott certain meetings when Russia attends them, a Treasury Department official told reporters on Monday (April 18).
However, Joe Biden’s Secretary of Commerce and Finance has planned to attend the inaugural G20 finance meeting dedicated to the global economy. This will bring together the finance ministers and central bankers of these countries, including Russia, on Wednesday, partly virtually.
The United States does not want the presence of Russian officials at the G20 to prevent it and its allies from continuing their work, the official said, stressing that this G20 cannot be a meeting like any other for Russia.
“Increasing economic pressure on Russia”
The Russian finance minister will no doubt be present virtually for at least some meetings, he added.
Several G7 countries could walk out of the G20 meeting if Russia speaks, French Economy and Finance Ministry Bruno Le Maire also instructed on Friday, adding that several states, notably France, had requested Ukraine’s finance minister’s invitation to the G20 specifically .
Regardless, the United States and its allies will “continue their joint efforts to increase economic pressure on Russia,” the Treasury Department warned in a statement. In particular, the American official stated that those trying to escape these sanctions will be targeted.
Western countries want to exclude Russia from the G20. But Indonesia, which chairs the group this year and is acting as a non-aligned middle power, wants to be “impartial”.
Biden is in favor of excluding Russia
US President Joe Biden, who also believed Ukraine should attend the meetings, advocates excluding Russia from the G20.
The US Treasury Secretary is scheduled to meet Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal, but the date of the meeting has not been set. Janet Yellen will also hold a press conference on Thursday at 11am (1500 GMT).
“Secretary Yellen will reaffirm the United States’ commitment to multilateralism and advance U.S. policy priorities for an inclusive economic recovery,” the Treasury Department said in its statement.
Global digital taxation, the fight against the climate crisis, as well as “the growing global food crisis resulting from Russia’s brutal and illegal war against Ukraine” will also be among the issues highlighted by Washington.
G20 Finance takes place on Wednesday as part of the IMF-World Bank spring meeting, for which small country delegations are expected in Washington, while press conferences are only virtual. The G20 press conference will take place on Wednesday at 15:30 (19:30 GMT).
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