United States Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov in Asheville, North Carolina, for talks linked to settling the conflict in Ukraine.
Bessent defended the encounter by stating that resolving the Ukrainian conflict is impossible without direct interaction among all interested parties, according to Russian news agency RIA Novosti. Speaking to reporters following a meeting of finance leaders from the Group of 20 nations, Bessent asked how the situation could be resolved if the relevant sides fail to talk and if the United States remains uninvolved.
Siluanov traveled to the United States specifically to attend the G20 gathering of finance ministers held in Asheville. The meeting marked the first face to face encounter between Bessent and Siluanov.
Peace plan discussions
During their bilateral meeting, the two financial chiefs discussed a 28 point peace plan for Ukraine proposed by United States President Donald Trump, Fox Business correspondent Edward Lawrence reported. Lawrence also published a joint photograph of Siluanov and Bessent taken during the event in North Carolina.
The conversation represented high level diplomatic contact between senior American and Russian officials during an international summit, with Russian media reporting that the exchange focused on resolving the Ukrainian conflict.
Role of G20 financial summit
The Group of 20 is an international forum bringing together finance ministers and central bank governors from major global economies to coordinate fiscal policy and foster international economic stability. In addition to plenary sessions on global economic governance, summit gatherings routinely provide a venue for member delegations to hold bilateral side meetings on pressing geopolitical issues.
Asheville, located in western North Carolina, hosted the international gathering of monetary authorities. The summit brought together economic leaders from member states to discuss global financial policy alongside informal diplomatic exchanges.
As Treasury Secretary, Bessent leads the United States Department of the Treasury, which oversees federal government revenue, economic policy, and international financial affairs. Siluanov heads the Ministry of Finance of Russia, managing federal state budgeting, fiscal strategy, and national economic administration.
Framework for conflict resolution
Bessent emphasized following the session that direct communication between all interested participants remains necessary to reach a settlement in Ukraine, maintaining that resolution cannot occur without active involvement from key parties.
