Russia, US see grounds for financial ties, Russian finance minister says

Dialogue between Russia ​and the U.S. should continue ‌to find ​common ground in economics, which should make it easier to discuss political issues, ‌Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said, according to an Interfax news agency report on Wednesday.

Asked about a bilateral meeting with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott ‌Bessent held on Monday at the G20 finance leaders conference ‌in North Carolina, Siluanov said both countries have agreed that there are grounds for developing financial ties despite complications, Interfax reported. Siluanov, who said he was ⁠meeting with ​Bessent for ⁠the first time, said he believed that people from the financial world sometimes may ⁠find common understanding faster than politicians.

"So we must always keep talking; ​we need to continue the dialogue. If we find strong ⁠points of common interest - and they do exist - we need to develop them. ⁠Then ​political issues will also be easier to resolve," he said, according to Interfax. Reuters reported on Monday that a source ⁠familiar with the ministers' meeting said Bessent made clear to Siluanov no economic ⁠relief ⁠for Russia or agreements on other issues were possible until its war in Ukraine ends.