Canadian officials, including Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Christia Freeland, joined their allies in organizing an exit from the G20 summit in Washington, DC, on Wednesday to protest Russia’s intervention.
At a meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors on Wednesday, Freeland said she and “several of our democratic partners” got up and left the meeting when Russia tried to intervene.
“This week’s meetings in Washington are in support of the world economy – and Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine is a serious threat to the world economy. “Russia should not participate or be involved in these meetings,” she tweeted.
According to a government official reporting on the background to CTV News, all those who got up and left did so when the Russian finance minister, who was involved virtually, turned to the G20.
“World democracies will not stand idly by in the face of ongoing Russian aggression and war crimes.”
A photo released by Freeland shows Bank of Canada Governor Typh McLeham, US Federal Reserve Chairman Jay Powell, Ukrainian Finance Minister Sergei Marchenko and European Economic Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni among those who got up and left.
The Canadian government source said Freeland also spoke directly to Russian officials who were present in person and said something like, although they may be “technocrats”, they are complicit in war crimes and should be try to persuade Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war or leave their positions.
Reuters reported earlier Wednesday that US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde, who were involved in the spending, opposed the personal involvement of Russian Deputy Finance Minister Timur Maximov.
Canadian officials, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Foreign Minister Melanie Jolie, have said Russia’s place in the G20 needs to be reassessed.
“Obviously, we can’t work as usual when it comes to the G20. “When it comes to Vladimir Putin sitting around this table with the rest of us, it will be extremely difficult for us and unproductive for the G20,” Trudeau said of the autumn G20 summit in Indonesia.
With a file from CTV National News Washington correspondent Richard Madan
World democracies will not stand idly by in the face of ongoing Russian aggression and war crimes. Today, Canada and a number of our democratic partners left the G20 plenary hall when Russia tried to intervene. pic.twitter.com/J67gU810sO
– Chrystia Freeland (@cafreeland) April 20, 2022
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