Janet Yellen Faces Challenge to Keep Pressure on Russia, While Addressing Global Consequences

WASHINGTON—How to balance a pressure campaign against Russia with a push to address growing crises like food insecurity will be a central test for Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and other U.S. officials as they meet this week with their global counterparts.

Hanging over gatherings of finance ministers from around the world at the International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings in Washington this week will be Russia’s war in Ukraine, as well as the sanctions campaign the U.S. and its allies have waged in response. As those sanctions efforts have brought the U.S. and its allies closer together, they are also laying bare deep differences in the broader Group of 20 major economies, which includes Russia, China and India, as well as European allies.