The G7 is determined not to see Russia return.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that G7 member countries all oppose Russia's return to the bloc because they disagree with Moscow's stance in the Ukraine crisis.
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| German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Photo: Reuters. |
"From our current position, a Russian return is unrealistic," Chancellor Angela Merkel said in an interview yesterday with German television channel ARD. All members of the Group of 7 industrialized nations (G7) agreed with this decision.
Merkel stressed that the G7 would continue to maintain sanctions against Russia, due to Moscow's continued support for separatists in eastern Ukraine.
"Sanctions can be lifted when the preconditions that were the reason for imposing them no longer exist, and the issues are resolved," Germany's ZDF quoted Merkel as saying.
The German Chancellor also called on Moscow to fulfill its obligations under the two Minsk peace agreements aimed at ending the deadly clashes between Kiev's soldiers and separatists in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions of eastern Ukraine.
Earlier, European Council President Donald Tusk criticized Russia for violating the values that G7 members respect.
"We all want Russia to participate in the G7 summit... But this group is not just about sharing political or economic interests; above all, it is a community of values. And that is why Russia is not here today," Tusk said, while also advocating for increased sanctions against Moscow.
This year's annual G7 summit is being held in the Bavarian mountains, in southern Germany, on June 7th and 8th. Russia was excluded from the group after its annexation of Crimea last year.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Moscow is not seeking to rejoin the G7.
"We have never made such a request (to rejoin the G7). Frankly, we are not begging for it, primarily because Russia has never left the G8. The G8 partners left Russia, in their capacity as chair, last year. That was their decision and we did not interfere," he emphasized.
According to Vnexpress
