G20: Japan chooses to not join other delegates staging walkout during Russia's statement

At the G20 Ministerial meeting, many delegates walked away when Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov was making his statement in Washington. Ukraine, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada as well as European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde were among the delegates that boycotted Russia at the G20 meeting on Wednesday. However, Japanese Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki stated on Thursday that he chose to remain in the room throughout Russia's Anton Siluanov statement so that he could denounce Russia's activity in Ukraine at a post-meeting press conference.

As per a Kyodo News report, Suzuki severely criticised Russia's invasion as the primary source of many crises confronting the world economy and stated that Russia should not be present at the G-20 meeting. The conference was chaired by Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, who said on Wednesday that the walkout did not disturb the ministerial and that the member nation remains committed to the multilateral discussion of common concerns. Indrawati also stated that the G-20 plays a critical role in international economic cooperation and emphasised the importance of multilateralism.

Members express significant worries about financial effects of the war

Indonesian Finance Minister also stated that members expressed significant worries about the humanitarian catastrophe, and economic and financial effects of the Russia-Ukraine war, and demanded the war be ended as soon as possible. She also stated that many members called the conflict unjustified and stated that it is a breach of international law. Indonesia's statement said that members are extremely concerned about the conflict's economic impact and that the conflict will further impede the global recovery process.

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who initiated the walkout informed attendees that she strongly disapproves of the attendance of a senior Russian at the meeting, according to Kyodo News. The US Treasury Secretary warned earlier this week that if Russian officials were present, she would not participate in talks.

Despite not being a member of G20, Ukraine was invited

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Finance Ministry stated that despite the fact that Ukraine is not a G-20 member, the Finance Minister of Ukraine, Serhii Marchenko, was invited to give a statement in which he referred to Russia as the "disease of the international economy" and stated that the war must end as soon as possible.

(Image: AP/@andymcelroy64/Twitter)