On Wednesday, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and other world's economic officials marched out of a G20 meeting as representatives from Russia spoke, highlighting Moscow's seclusion in the aftermath of the war in Ukraine.
While the meeting was happening in Washington, D.C., Yellen's colleagues from the United Kingdom and Canada, as well as leaders from Ukraine, followed the walkout.
In a tweet regarding the walkout, Canadian Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland said:
"The world's democracy will not simply stand by in the midst of Russia's relentless aggression and war crimes. Russia's unlawful attack on Ukraine poses a serious danger to the world economy, hence, Russia should be excluded from these gatherings."
When she convened with the Indonesian Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati on Tuesday, Yellen reiterated that there would be no business-as-usual for the Kremlin in the world economy.
This year the G20 is chaired by Indonesia.
Following Russia's annexation of Ukraine, the U.S. and its neighbors slapped extensive sanctions on the country, including barring Moscow from utilizing its foreign currency reserves.
The U.S. has likewise blocked Russian oil supplies, while the United Kingdom has pursued some of the Russian rich elite who reside in the country.
Rishi Sunak, the UK's chancellor of the Exchequer, posted in a tweet in regards to the walkout, "We are unified in our denunciation of Russia's attack on Ukrainians and will fight for greater cooperation to sanction Russia."
The G20 finance ministers met in Washington, D.C., in connection with the spring summits of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.
The International Monetary Fund reduced its global economic growth projection this week, citing Russia's aggression on Ukraine as a major factor.
The attack has wreaked havoc on international food and energy systems. Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, research director of IMF, pointed out that further than its imminent and devastating humanitarian consequences, the violence will boost the rate of inflation.
U.S. President Joe Biden has stated that Russia should not be allowed to stay a member of the G20, a sentiment supported by the Finance Minister of Canada and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, who was among the officials who stormed out of the session.
The U.N. General Assembly removed Russia from the Human Rights Council earlier this April over the war, citing great concern over the escalating human rights and humanitarian situations in the invaded country.
