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Macron tells Putin Russia must end invasion of Donbas in order to return to G7

Russia will be able to raise the issue of returning to the G8 only after resolving the situation in the Donbas. This was the message of French President Emmanual Macron following his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in France, according to Ukrinform .

Likewise, the chance of normalizing relations between Russia and the European Union depends on ending the war in the Donbas, Macron said.

" Relations between Russia and the European Union are violated by disagreements regarding Ukraine. Since 2014, we have not solved this problem. And that will be the key to changing the format of the G7 to the G8," Macron said.

The French president said despite the sanctions imposed against Russia, France ’s economic and cultural ties with Russia expanded.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that there was no longer such a format as the G8, and it was changed by the decision of Moscow.

Putin said Russia "at any time " is willing to accept as partners all countries of the "Big Seven." He said there are other effective formats, such as the G20, through which they work.

Context:

  • G7 countries abandoned the G8 format in March 2014 due to the annexation of Crimea by the Russia. Great Britain, Germany, Italy, Canada, the United States, France and Japan remained in the G7. Canada decisively opposes Russia in the G8 until Crimea is returned to Ukraine. The idea of cooperation between the seven leading industrialized countries of the world arose in the early 1970s.
  • Russia is still part of the G20, which also includes Australia, Argentina, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Canada, China, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, the United States, Turkey, France, South Korea, South Africa, Japan and the European Union. The G20 group was created in response to the Asian financial crisis of the late 1990s.
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