U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met with Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov on Monday at the G20 Finance Ministers meeting in Asheville, North Carolina, according to a Treasury spokesperson who spoke to Breitbart News. The meeting was described as centering on President Donald Trump’s peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.
The encounter comes just one week after CIA Director John Ratcliffe traveled to Moscow for talks with Russian intelligence officials — the first publicly known visit by a CIA director to the Russian capital since 2021. Both the Kremlin and U.S. officials have said little about the substance of those discussions.
According to an Axios report, Ratcliffe floated the idea of a trilateral meeting between Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as part of an effort to end the war.
Escalating Violence on the Ground
The diplomatic overtures are unfolding against a backdrop of intensifying Russian military pressure on Ukraine. Russian attacks killed 37 people on Saturday, making it one of the deadliest days of the four-year conflict.
Ukraine’s President Zelensky took to social media late Sunday to voice frustration, writing: “Right now, Russia’s tactic is to wear down Ukraine and Ukrainians – first and foremost, our people.”
The Treasury spokesperson said Monday’s meeting between Bessent and Siluanov was aimed at discussing Trump’s plan for peace and economic growth.
Shifting G20 Priorities
Bessent has emphasized economic growth as the primary focus of the G20 Finance Ministers meeting, steering away from the Biden administration’s emphasis on climate change and net-zero carbon policies.
Beyond the Russia-Ukraine track, Bessent has also led “Operation Economic Outcast,” an initiative to isolate Iran economically. The Iranian regime has reportedly received intelligence from Russian officials. Some outlets have also reported Russian drone incursions into Romania, a missile that crossed into Poland last month, and an uptick in alleged sabotage actions and cyberattacks across Europe.
Brokering Efforts Continue
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts to end the war are proceeding on multiple fronts. Breitbart News reported Sunday that Theophilos III, the Patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church, is planning a mission to meet both Putin and Zelensky in an attempt to help broker an end to the conflict.
As the G20 meetings continue in Asheville, the quiet diplomacy between Washington and Moscow — conducted through finance ministers, intelligence chiefs, and now religious leaders — signals that the Trump administration is pursuing multiple channels to bring the nearly four-year war to a close.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2026/08/31/exclusive-scott-bessent-russian-finance-minister-anton-siluanov-meet-g20/