President Donald Trump's administration restored Russia's participation in a G20 finance ministers meeting on Monday, marking the first in-person attendance by a Russian official since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov joined the gathering of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors in Asheville, North Carolina. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent held a bilateral meeting with Siluanov on the sidelines.

Trump defended the decision when asked by reporters. "We like getting along with everybody," he said. "One of the reasons that I'm so successful — that I get along with everybody."

A U.S. Treasury spokesperson said the meeting with Siluanov covered Trump's plan for peace and economic growth. A source familiar with the talks reported that Bessent made clear the United States would not provide economic relief to Russia until the war in Ukraine ends.

European officials expressed opposition to Russia's inclusion. German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil described the presence as a "quite troubling" signal. Some European participants declined to join the traditional group photo with Siluanov present.

The move aligns with the Trump administration's broader push for negotiations to end the Ukraine conflict. It reverses the exclusion of Russia from such forums that began after the full-scale invasion.

The two-day G20 meeting focused on global economic growth, debt issues, and other priorities under the U.S. presidency of the group. Siluanov's attendance occurred as the administration seeks to engage Moscow on ending the war while maintaining pressure on sanctions relief.