US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has informed his Russian counterpart, Anton Siluanov, that no economic relief for Russia is possible until its war in Ukraine ends. The two met at a G20 finance leaders’ meeting in Asheville, North Carolina, where Russian representatives were described as an unwelcome presence. A source told Reuters that Bessent stated no agreements of any kind were possible until the war concluded.
The Russian finance minister's first in-person G20 appearance since the invasion of Ukraine has reportedly caused irritation among European officials who are working on additional sanctions against Russia. In a related development, the UK Treasury announced on Monday that it has doubled penalties for sanctions breaches, increasing fines from 50% to 100% of the value of a breach. The UK's National Crime Agency also issued an alert targeting the A7 network, which the British government states is used to route funds and evade restrictions.
Meanwhile, Russian air attacks on Ukraine continued, with local authorities reporting four people killed and more than a dozen injured in Kyiv and the surrounding region on Tuesday. Three people died and five were wounded in Kyiv, while one person was killed and nine injured in Boryspil, including a child, after missiles and drones damaged an apartment building and a business. Odesa also experienced heavy attacks on Monday night.
Separately, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Russian President Vladimir Putin that the war in Ukraine must end for humanity's sake during a meeting in Kyrgyzstan. Modi stated that every day the war continues sets humanity back, while steps towards peace offer hope. Indonesia is also investigating claims that several of its citizens have joined the Russian military to fight in Ukraine, with those involved risking loss of citizenship if verified.