World Bank and IMF gathering underscores a bleak global outlook | Larry Elliot

If Russia's invasion of Ukraine is hurting developed countries, it's proving a hammer blow for the poor

• Russia-Ukraine war: latest updates

In Washington it was the week of the four Ws - war, walkouts, weakness and warnings. Some half-yearly get-togethers of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank are dull, easily forgettable affairs; this was not one of them.

The first W - the war in Ukraine - dominated the meetings and could well dominate the next gathering of the two institutions in the autumn as well. Despite pleas for the fighting to stop, there is no sign of that happening.