Russia: Return to G7 ‘Not a Goal in Itself’
MOSCOW (Dispatches) - Russia said on Monday it would be "impossible” for Moscow to return to the group of G7/G8 nations on an invitation of "just one country”, as all decisions in the group are made based on consensus, the Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
"For Russia, membership in G7 or return to the G7 is not a goal in itself,” Peskov told reporters on a conference call.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that it would be advantageous to have Russia back to the G7/G8 group.
Five years after the group of advanced economies excluded Moscow from the group, Trump’s idea to invite Moscow back led to heated exchanges at a dinner on Saturday night, diplomatic sources at the summit in France said.
The U.S. president did not receive any support from the attendees, other than from the outgoing Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, according to the sources.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe remained neutral on the subject.
The other members, Britain, France, Germany and Canada firmly rejected the idea.
"The leaders of the G7 are in favor of reinforcing coordination with Russia on current crises (but) … it is too early for re-integration,” according to sources.
European Council President Donald Tusk also ruled out the possibility of Russia’s return, saying that "under no condition" would Moscow be invited.
The group — formerly known as G8 — excluded Russia after Crimea rejoined Russia in 2014.
Russia’s return was only one of the points of disagreement between the group’s leaders. Among the many differences, Washington’s tensions with Iran and the trade war with China dominated the summit in Biarritz, southwestern France.
An even bigger issue dividing the U.S. from the rest of the group was trade and Trump’s effort to force even close allies into hard negotiations on market access and tariffs.
Trump arrived at the summit shortly after announcing fresh tariffs on Chinese products as part of an escalating trade war with Beijing.
European leaders lined up to warn the trade war could lead to a recession and destroy trust among the Western nations.
Thousands of protesters took to the streets in the town of Hendaye — on the French border with Spain — to demand action from G7 leaders.
Demonstrators marched in protest against the economic and climate policies pursued by the world's leading industrial nations.
Environmental activists, yellow vest protesters and anti-globalization protesters were among the demonstrators. Organizers estimated at least 15,000 people took to the streets.
"For Russia, membership in G7 or return to the G7 is not a goal in itself,” Peskov told reporters on a conference call.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that it would be advantageous to have Russia back to the G7/G8 group.
Five years after the group of advanced economies excluded Moscow from the group, Trump’s idea to invite Moscow back led to heated exchanges at a dinner on Saturday night, diplomatic sources at the summit in France said.
The U.S. president did not receive any support from the attendees, other than from the outgoing Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, according to the sources.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe remained neutral on the subject.
The other members, Britain, France, Germany and Canada firmly rejected the idea.
"The leaders of the G7 are in favor of reinforcing coordination with Russia on current crises (but) … it is too early for re-integration,” according to sources.
European Council President Donald Tusk also ruled out the possibility of Russia’s return, saying that "under no condition" would Moscow be invited.
The group — formerly known as G8 — excluded Russia after Crimea rejoined Russia in 2014.
Russia’s return was only one of the points of disagreement between the group’s leaders. Among the many differences, Washington’s tensions with Iran and the trade war with China dominated the summit in Biarritz, southwestern France.
An even bigger issue dividing the U.S. from the rest of the group was trade and Trump’s effort to force even close allies into hard negotiations on market access and tariffs.
Trump arrived at the summit shortly after announcing fresh tariffs on Chinese products as part of an escalating trade war with Beijing.
European leaders lined up to warn the trade war could lead to a recession and destroy trust among the Western nations.
Thousands of protesters took to the streets in the town of Hendaye — on the French border with Spain — to demand action from G7 leaders.
Demonstrators marched in protest against the economic and climate policies pursued by the world's leading industrial nations.
Environmental activists, yellow vest protesters and anti-globalization protesters were among the demonstrators. Organizers estimated at least 15,000 people took to the streets.