Delegates walked out of IMF steering committee meeting when Russian official spoke, sources say

Business Recorder reported, citing three sources, that many delegates walked out of the International Monetary Fund's steering committee meeting in Bangkok on Saturday. The walkout came as Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov addressed the group in Russian. A second official said nearly a dozen delegates left the room, and the departing group reportedly included members from the European Union.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has divided the International Monetary and Financial Committee for years, preventing it from agreeing consensus statements. Deep divisions resurfaced at this week's annual IMF and World Bank meetings in Bangkok, where tensions also flared between Washington and Kyiv. Germany had warned on Thursday against efforts to return Russia to the international stage after Siluanov took part in a G20 gathering of finance chiefs and central bankers. US Treasury Undersecretary Erin Browne told Reuters that Washington, which currently leads the G20, backed Moscow's participation even though Europe had raised concerns.

On Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy criticised Donald Trump's diesel deal with Russia at a European Union summit, and he welcomed a larger role for European allies in peace talks. Trump had also criticised Ukraine's strikes on Russian refineries, calling them a 'disgrace'. The EU hosted Zelenskiy at a difficult time, with missiles and drones hitting Ukrainian cities and concern that Washington could reduce intelligence and weapons support for Kyiv.