The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has indefinitely delayed a staff mission to Moscow, originally planned to assess the Russian economy for the first time since the Ukraine invasion. The postponement follows sharp criticism from several European allies of Kyiv.
In response to the backlash, the IMF said it would spend more time gathering information to ensure a “rigorous analysis.” IMF officials had been scheduled to visit Moscow and meet local stakeholders before releasing their economic review.
The IMF had initially defended the mission as part of its “mutual obligation” under Article IV consultations, stating that the situation in Russia had stabilized enough to warrant the review.
However, on Friday, nine European nations—including Poland, Denmark, Finland, and the Baltic states—formally protested the move. In a letter, they expressed concerns that the visit would damage the IMF’s reputation, implying that resuming dialogue with Russia would undermine international efforts to support Ukraine. They also warned that a visit could signal a premature return to “business as usual” with the aggressor nation.
Aleksei Mozhin, Russia’s IMF executive director, confirmed that the decision to cancel the mission was made on Monday, the day preliminary talks were set to begin.
IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva reportedly faced heated discussions with EU finance ministers and central bankers in Budapest over the planned visit, according to the Financial Times. An IMF spokesperson later stated that the consultations would remain postponed until all necessary data for a comprehensive review is gathered.
