IMF delegates walk out as Russian finance minister speaks in Bangkok

Many delegates to the International Monetary Fund's steering committee walked out of a meeting on Saturday when Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov addressed the group in Russian, three sources said. The walkout occurred during IMF and World Bank annual meetings in Bangkok. Nearly a dozen delegates left the room, including members of the European Union and officials from Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. A European diplomat said the Ukraine war is existential for Europe and relations with Russia cannot be normalized. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has prevented the committee from reaching consensus statements since 2022. The walkout follows Germany's warning against bringing Russia back to the international stage, though the US supports Russia's presence at G20 meetings for open dialogue.