Ukraine war: delegate protests over Russia to upstage G20 meeting

Name: The cost of Asia’s favourite foods soars because of the pandemic and Ukraine-Russia war
Uploaded: 2022-04-19T23:59:14.000Z
Duration: 4 min 13 s
Description: The cost of Asia’s favourite foods soars because of the pandemic and Ukraine-Russia war

Coordinated walkouts and other diplomatic snubs are being planned as finance ministers meet in Washington ahead of the summit later this year

Some Western officials want Russia excluded from global meetings, but this view is not shared by countries like China and this year’s G20 host, Indonesia

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Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov arrives for the G20 leaders summit in Rome, Italy in October last year. He will lead Moscow’s delegation at Wednesday’s talks. Photo: Reuters

Reuters

Published: 7:59am, 20 Apr 2022Updated: 8:22am, 20 Apr 2022

Western nations are preparing to stage coordinated walkouts and other diplomatic snubs to protest against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine at Wednesday’s meeting of G20 finance ministers in Washington, their officials said.

While some in Western capitals argue that Russia’s actions should mean it is excluded from global meetings altogether, that is not a view shared by others in the Group of 20 big economies, including notably China and Indonesia, which is chairing the group this year.

Moscow confirmed on Tuesday Finance Minister Anton Siluanov would lead Russia’s delegation at the talks despite repeated protestations by Western diplomats that they could not go ahead as usual during a war in which thousands of civilians have died in bombardments by Russian troops.

“During and after the meeting we will be certain to send a strong message and we will not be alone in doing so,” a German government source said, accusing Russia of starting a conflict that has also sent world food and energy prices spiralling.

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The cost of Asia’s favourite foods soars because of the pandemic and Ukraine-Russia war

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen plans to avoid G20 sessions joined by Russian officials on the sidelines of International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings. But Yellen will attend an opening session on the Ukraine war regardless of Russian participation, a US Treasury official said.