Bank of England governor walks out of IMF summit in protest against Russia

Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey joined finance leaders from France, Germany, and Scandinavian and Baltic countries in walking out of an International Monetary Fund (IMF) meeting in Bangkok. This protest occurred when Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov began addressing the group in Russian. Nearly half of the delegates reportedly participated in the joint departure. A European diplomat stated the walkout was a protest against normalizing relations with Russia due to the Ukraine war. The chair of the IMF’s steering committee acknowledged the walkout but noted that all members agreed to a joint statement. The US Treasury supported Russia's presence at the meeting despite European concerns.

At a meeting of the International Monetary Fund's steering committee on Saturday, numerous delegates walked out when Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov began speaking in Russian. This action occurred during the annual meetings of the IMF and World Bank, where deep divisions persist. The article states that Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has disrupted the International Monetary and Financial Committee, hindering its ability to achieve consensus statements in recent years. These ongoing divisions were evident again at this week's meetings.