Merkel: Putin not to be invited to G7 summit

Russian President Vladimir Putin has no chance to be invited to the next G7 summit, German Chancellor Angela Merkel told German edition Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

According to the German Chancellor, the Great Seven is a community of common values, RBK reports. “The annexation of Crimea and the events in East Ukraine are an evident violation of the international law and the common values,” Merkel added. That is why Putin cannot be invited to the G7 summit that will be held in Bavaria in June, she thinks.

Europe cannot consider mitigating Russia sanctions until the reasons why they were imposed are liquidated, Merkel believes.

Actually, Russia was expelled from the G8 after the annexation of Crimea. The last summit was held in Brussels instead of Sochi and Putin was not invited there. The Russian President took part in the G20 summit in Brisbane but left earlier than the other leaders and missed the final communiqué and lunch.

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