U.S. Treasury Official Warns No Sanctions Relief for Russia Until Ukraine War Ends U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reportedly conveyed to Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov during a high-level meeting at the G20 finance ministers’ summit in Asheville, North Carolina, that no sanctions relief or new agreements with Moscow could be considered while the war in Ukraine continued. The exchange occurred on August 31, 2026, and marked a rare in-person engagement between the two officials, with Siluanov’s participation representing his first such appearance at the summit since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The meeting took place amid growing European pressure to isolate Russia economically, as multiple nations planned to expand sanctions measures to further strain Moscow’s financial resources. Bessent’s remarks emphasized Washington’s conditional stance on diplomatic engagement, stating that “nothing is possible until the war is over,” according to Reuters. Siluanov, during the discussion, raised potential areas of mutual interest, but Bessent made it clear that any progress on economic cooperation or sanctions relief would depend on the resolution of the conflict in Ukraine. The U.S. official’s position aligns with broader U.S. policy, which has consistently tied sanctions relief to the cessation of hostilities in Ukraine. The meeting underscored the diverging approaches between the United States and its European allies. While Washington expressed openness to reestablishing high-level diplomatic channels with Moscow, European governments have prioritized isolating Russia through expanded sanctions. This divide highlights the complexities of international diplomacy in the context of the ongoing war, with the U.S.#scott_bessent #us_treasury_secretary #russian_finance_minister #anton_siluanov #g20_summit
