The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has indefinitely postponed its planned consultations with Russia, initially set to begin on September 16, citing 'technical unpreparedness'. This decision comes amid significant criticism from European Union nations, who argued that such consultations would normalize relations with Russia despite its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Alexei Mozhin, Russia's executive director at the IMF, confirmed that the Russian side was prepared for the consultations, which would have marked the first official IMF mission to Russia since the war began in February 2022. The postponement was communicated on the day the consultations were supposed to start, highlighting the contentious climate surrounding IMF relations with Russia. The IMF's last mission to Russia occurred in November 2019, and no consultations have taken place since Russia's military actions in Ukraine began. This development reflects continued tensions in international financial relations due to geopolitical conflicts.