Delegates Walk Out on Russian Official at IMF Meeting in Bangkok

Many delegates walked out of the International Monetary Fund's steering committee meeting on Saturday when Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov addressed the group, according to three sources. The protest occurred during the IMF and World Bank annual meetings in Bangkok. Nearly a dozen delegates left the room, including members from Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. The walkout reflects deep divisions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which has prevented the committee from reaching consensus statements since 2022. The incident follows Siluanov's attendance at a G20 meeting in the US, which Washington supported despite European concerns. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, at an EU summit, blasted a US diesel deal with Russia and welcomed European allies' potential role in peace talks.