Translated material
They showed indifference
Russia's participation in the G7 summit is currently unthinkable. This was stated by the Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel in an interview with DPA, the German Wave reports .
"The G7 is a group of states united by values such as democracy and the rule of law. Our principles also include protecting the norms of international law and the inviolability of borders, since this is the basis of our world order. And the Russian annexation of Crimea is a violation of international law," Merkel emphasized.
At the same time, Merkel emphasized the interest in further cooperation with Moscow. According to her, without this it is impossible to settle a number of conflicts, including in Syria. Therefore, Merkel maintains regular contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Chancellor expressed satisfaction by the fact that in any case, contacts with Russia are successfully developing within the framework of the Big Twenty, where, according to her, a very good working atmosphere was established.
According to Merkel, from the G7 summit, which will be held on June 7-8 in the Elmau Bavarian Castle, one should not expect any breakthrough decisions on the Ukrainian issue. Nevertheless, participants in the summit will analyze the course of "the Minsk process, which is designed to ensure political and peaceful settlement for Eastern Ukraine," the Chancellor noted.
“We must continue to move along this path, but this path will take time,” Merkel concluded.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper also believes that Russia should not return to the G7. He stated this in an interview with Associated Press.
“I do not think that Russia under Vladimir Putin will be one of the G7. The point,” Harper said. “Canada will very much object to Putin sitting down at this table again. Consissus is required to return Russia, but this consensus simply will not happen.”
On the eve of the deputy head of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Sergei Ryabkov said that Russia in the G7 "does not beg," TASS reports . According to him, now Moscow has much more interest in other formats, such as BRICS and Twenty.
“Frankly, we do not beg,” said Ryabkov. “First of all, for the reason that Russia did not leave the“ eight ”, but this is his colleagues in the“ eight ”from the Russian chairmanship last year. This is their own sovereign decision, we do not encroach on someone else's sovereignty, it would probably be possible to influence it, having indicated our interest, but we have no interest that we have this interest.”
In early March 2014, the leaders of the seven leading countries of the world in a joint statement with the leaders of the European Union condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine and announced that they canceled preparations for the June G8 summit in Sochi . "Russia's actions in Ukraine ... violate the principles and values on which the G7 and G8 are based," the statement said.
In June 2014, the leaders of the G7 participants, instead of a summit in Sochi , held a meeting in Brussels without Putin's participation . According to the results of the summit, they announced their readiness to impose economic sanctions against Russia in the event of a destabilization of the situation in Ukraine.