Get 40% Off
🤯 This Tech Portfolio is up 29% YTD! Join Now to Get April’s Top PicksGet The Picks – Just 99 USD

Macron Says G-7 Needs Ukraine Progress Before Russia Comes Back

Published 08/21/2019, 01:43 PM
Updated 08/21/2019, 05:33 PM
© Reuters.  Macron Says G-7 Needs Ukraine Progress Before Russia Comes Back

© Reuters. Macron Says G-7 Needs Ukraine Progress Before Russia Comes Back

(Bloomberg) -- President Emmanuel Macron said Russia can’t return to the top table of global politics until there has been more progress in Ukraine.

As he prepared to welcome leaders of the Group of Seven nations to France this weekend, Macron said he would like to return to the so-called G-8 format, that saw Russia join the world’s leading developed economies, but President Vladimir Putin first needs to comply with the terms of the Minsk peace accord on Ukraine.

"I do not want Russia to be reintegrated without conditions," Macron said at a meeting with the Presidential Press Association. "No weakness."

G-8 meetings have reverted to a G-7 format since 2014 when Russia was excluded from the group in protest at its annexation of Crimea in Ukraine. As U.S. President Donald Trump and other leaders prepare for this year’s summit in Biarritz, France, from Saturday, the issue of Russia’s return has cropped up again.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the U.K.’s Boris Johnson both echoed Macron’s stance at a joint briefing in Berlin.

‘More Appropriate’

Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday that it would be "much more appropriate" if Russia was reincorporated into the meetings and Macron hosted Putin in Paris Monday, suggesting he was being drawn into the orbit of the G-7 talks.

Macron said that he discussed western concerns about Russia’s nuclear missile program with Putin and the Russian leader suggested that it might be possible to prevent Europe becoming the focus of another arms race. Putin offered not to deploy new missiles to Europe so long as the U.S. agrees to do the same, Macron said.

The issue will also be raised at the G-7 and that new international talks need to include China as well as Russia.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.