WASHINGTON/LONDON: Top finance officials from Britain, the United States and Canada walked out of Wednesday’s meeting of finance officials from the world’s top 20 economies as Russian representatives spoke, a UK government spokesperson said, exposing deepening divisions over Russia’s continued presence in the body.

Ukraine officials in attendance also walked out, according to a source familiar with the meeting.

“Alongside our allies the US and Canada, representatives from the UK left the G20 meeting as Russian delegates spoke,” the spokesperson said. “We will continue working with our allies to condemn Russia’s war against Ukraine in the strongest terms, and push for stronger international coordination to punish Russia.”

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US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told attendees she disapproved of a senior Russian official’s presence at the meeting, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. Yellen was among those who walked out, joined by Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey and others.

European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde, meanwhile, urged that Russian official, Deputy Finance Minister Timur Maksimov, to convey to Moscow a clear message - to end the war in Ukraine, one of the sources said.