World · East Asia & Pacific · 1 hr ago
Delegates walk out as Russian minister speaks at IMF meeting
Nearly a dozen delegates left an IMF steering committee meeting in Bangkok on Saturday as Russia's finance minister spoke.
Anton Siluanov addressed the group in Russian, prompting the walkout.
Delegates from Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia were among those who left.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has divided the committee and prevented it from agreeing on joint statements in recent years.
European officials say they do not want to normalize relations with Russia, while the United States says dialogue is needed to resolve conflicts.
The divisions persisted at this week's meetings, and no agreement or next step was reported.
Many delegates walked out of an IMF steering committee meeting on Saturday as Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov began speaking in Russian.
A source said members of the European Union were among those who left, and an official said nearly a dozen delegates walked out.
Delegates from Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia were among them.
The walkout took place during the IMF and World Bank annual meetings in Bangkok.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has prevented the IMF committee from reaching consensus statements in the years since 2022.
- Who
- Delegates at the IMF steering committee meeting, including European Union members, left. Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov was speaking.
- What
- Many delegates walked out as Siluanov addressed the meeting in Russian.
- When
- Saturday, October 17, 2026.
- Where
- An IMF steering committee meeting in Bangkok, during the IMF and World Bank annual meetings.
- Why
- Not stated
European delegates
US Treasury
Russia’s participation
European delegates
A European diplomat said, “We cannot normalize relations with Russia.
US Treasury
Erin Browne said Russia’s presence was important for open dialogue and resolving crises.
Dialogue with Russia
European delegates
The European diplomat described the war in Ukraine as existential for Europe.
US Treasury
Browne said conflict cannot be resolved if parties are not talking to one another.
Russia invaded Ukraine, roiling the IMF committee and preventing consensus statements in the years since.
Germany warned against efforts to bring Russia back onto the international stage after Siluanov attended a G20 finance ministers and central bankers meeting.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy spoke at an EU summit, where he criticised a US diesel deal with Russia and welcomed a greater European role in peace talks.
Delegates walked out of an IMF steering committee meeting as Siluanov began speaking.
- Speaker
- Anton Siluanov, Russian finance minister
- Meeting location
- Bangkok
- Walkout
- Nearly a dozen delegates, according to an official in the room
- Countries named
- Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia
- Publication date
- October 17, 2026
4 sources
Nederland verlaat zaal terwijl Rusland voor eerst sinds 2022 spreekt bij IMF
European delegates walk out on Russian finance minister at IMF summit
Delegates walked out of IMF steering committee meeting in Bangkok when Russian official spoke: Sources
What people are saying
The Ukraine war is existential for us in Europe
We cannot normalize relations with Russia.
We think it's really important if you're going to solve a crisis, you need to have open dialogue and open conversation
And you can't have ... dialogue, and you can't have resolution to conflict if no one's talking to one another.