Lars Klingbeil Stranded in the United States After Government Plane Suffers Damage

German Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil is stranded in the United States after the government aircraft assigned to the Bundeswehr flight service suffered damage. The details of the problem have not been disclosed.

The disruption means Klingbeil will miss Wednesday morning’s cabinet meeting, where ministers are due to advance his proposed reform of income tax. He had also planned to make a statement to the press at about 12:30 p.m.

Klingbeil had been attending the G20 finance ministers’ meeting in Asheville, North Carolina. During the gathering, he discussed ways to promote stronger economic growth with fellow finance ministers.

The meeting also began with a diplomatic dispute after Russia’s finance minister unexpectedly appeared in the plenary session. Klingbeil successfully pushed for the Moscow official to be excluded from the group photograph.