Finance
Russia Should Not Be the Winner of the Iran War, German Finance Minister Says
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on April 16, 2026
2 min readLast updated: April 16, 2026
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German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil warned on April 16 in Washington that it is not in the interest of the United States—or Germany—for Russia to emerge as the winner from the Iran war, pointing to Russia’s economic gains from soaring energy prices amid the conflict.
Russia should not be the winner of the Iran war, German Finance Minister says
German Finance Minister's Statements on Russia, Iran War, and Ukraine Support
By Christian Kraemer
Key Remarks from Lars Klingbeil in Washington
WASHINGTON, April 16 (Reuters) - It is not in the interest of the United States that Russia is the winner of the Iran war, German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil said on Thursday in Washington.
"It's not in our interest and it cannot be in the interest of the United States," he said in a joint statement with the finance ministers of Ukraine and Norway on the sidelines of the International Monetary Fund spring meetings.
Russia's Economic Gains Amid Middle East Conflict
Klingbeil said the Russian economy is growing thanks to the Middle East conflict and is making a profit from the energy situation.
International Response and Ukraine Support
IMF Meetings and Focus on Ukraine
As the conflict in the Middle East dominates this week's gathering of finance officials at the IMF in Washington, the ministers of Norway, Germany and Ukraine spoke about not forgetting to support Ukraine in its defence against Russia.
"All the meetings here are about the question of what's happening with the war in Iran, and I think it's really important that we show solidarity with our friends in Ukraine," Klingbeil said.
Donor Countries and G7 Involvement
There was a meeting in support of Ukraine on Thursday on the sidelines of the IMF meetings in which 15 donor countries participated, including the U.S.
On Wednesday at a G7 meeting, the U.S. participated, but without U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Asked about Bessent's absence, Klingbeil said the important thing was that the U.S. was at the table.
"When (Ukrainian Finance Minister) Serhiy Marchenko was describing the situation in Ukraine, I felt there was huge solidarity in the G7."
Hungary's Role and EU Loan Package
Klingbeil also welcomed the election results in Hungary, as the country had been blocking the 90-billion-euro ($106 billion) EU loan package for Ukraine.
"I'm also happy because I see now there's a way," he said in reference to the long-awaited loan.
Additional Information
($1 = 0.8490 euros)
(Reporting by Christian Kraemer, writing by Maria Martinez; Editing by Toby Chopra)
Key Takeaways
- •Klingbeil cautioned that the Iran war benefits Russia economically, which undermines Western strategic interests.
- •Conflict‑driven increases in oil, gas and fertilizer revenues are delivering Russia hundreds of billions in windfall profits.
- •Growing Russian energy revenues bolster its budget and capacity to fund the war in Ukraine, while Europe and allies seek countermeasures.
Frequently Asked Questions about Russia should not be the winner of the Iran war, German Finance Minister says
1What did the German Finance Minister say about Russia and the Iran war?
He stated that it is not in the interest of the US or Germany for Russia to be the winner of the Iran war.
2Why is Russia benefitting from the Middle East conflict?
Russia's economy is growing and profiting from the current energy situation caused by the conflict.
3Which countries' finance ministers met during the IMF spring meetings?
Finance ministers of Germany, Norway, and Ukraine met during the IMF meetings in Washington.
4What was a major topic at the IMF spring meetings?
The Middle East conflict and its impact on global finance was a major topic discussed.
5What support was discussed for Ukraine at the IMF meeting?
Ministers discussed ways to strengthen support for Ukraine in its defense against Russia.
