Answering a journalist’s question at a press-briefing on Thursday, Davide La Cecilia, Ambassador of Italy to Ukraine, said that Russia’s return to the G8 is only possible after the peaceful settlement of the conflict in Donbas and if Ukraine’s sovereignty is preserved.
“As to the question on Russia’s return to the “Group of Eight”, first of all one needs to wait for a peaceful settlement of the conflict, paying special attention to preserving Ukraine’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity. Until the conflict is settled, the G7 countries will not be able to give an answer,” said Davide La Cecilia, reports UNIAN.
“It is all being discussed in the ‘Normandy Format’ as well as in the framework of the OSCE. However, until the conflict is settled, as I already said, I see no alternative ways to resolve this issue,” the Ambassador added.
To remind, in January, Angelino Alfano, Italy’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, called upon the world leaders to consider returning to the G8 format with Russia’s participation in it, that was suspended after Russia annexed Crimea.
Alfano said that Russia is an important international partner and that the leaders of the “Group of Seven” (the US, the UK, Canada, France, Italy, Germany and Japan) need to consider inviting Russia to take part in the annual summit.
This year Italy is chairing the G7, the summit will take place in Taormina, Sicily in May. Alfano said that it would probably not be possible to engage Russia into this year’s edition. However, he voiced the opinion that the G8 could be restored in the future.
Photo: UCMC’s archive.
