Ukraine War First for U.S.-Russia Talks | US News

US News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Sep 1, 2026 · 1m

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent delivered a blunt message to Russia’s Finance Minister Anton Siluanov during their high-stakes G20 meeting: no economic relief or deals until Russia withdraws from Ukraine. Despite Siluanov’s attempts to pivot toward shared interests, Bessent shut down the conversation, making it crystal clear—peace first, everything else later. The U.S. stance underscores its refusal to engage on any financial cooperation while the war continues, even as recent moves like oil licensing show a pragmatic, if contradictory, approach to easing global energy pressures. Listen in…