European nations protest IMF’s proposal to reopen talks with Russia

Posted on September 20, 2024   |  

9 European finance ministers—Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Sweden, Iceland, Denmark, Norway, and Poland—protested the IMF’s plan to resume talks with Russia.

They expressed concerns in a letter to the IMF that this move could harm the IMF’s reputation.

The IMF had suspended its annual meetings with Russia after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

The IMF’s Russian executive director announced online consultations with Russia would resume on September 16.

European ministers fear this could damage the IMF’s credibility and affect support for Ukraine.

They worry Russia might provide censored data to mislead and use for propaganda.

The ministers suggested that donor countries might redirect their support to other institutions, impacting aid to Ukraine.