Champagne says U.S. move to invite Russia to G20 meeting caused ‘a lot of discomfort’

Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne says Russia’s presence at a G20 meeting hosted by the U.S. has made many countries uncomfortable.

Speaking after sitting down with his fellow G20 finance ministers in Asheville, N.C., today, Champagne said the presence of Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov “created a lot of discomfort around the table.”

While Moscow remains a G20 member despite its war on Ukraine, Champagne says supporting Ukrainians is a key part of Canada’s foreign policy.

U.S. President Donald Trump said his government invited Russia because “we like getting along with everybody.”

The Associated Press reports that U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Siluanov that the U.S. will not give Russia economic relief until it ends its war in Ukraine.

Champagne said the devastation caused by Russian strikes on Ukraine requires a unified response by all nations and Canada made it clear that Moscow should not have been invited to the G20 meeting.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 1, 2026.

— With files from The Associated Press

By Dylan Robertson | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.