Putin shrugs off G7 return
Russia feigns disinterest in return to G7 (Photo: Sputnik/Alexander Kazakov/Pool via REUTERS)
Moscow is “not interested” in rejoining the Group of Seven (G7), the forum of major industrialized democracies that expelled Russia in 2014 after its aggression against Ukraine in 2015, Kremlin's dictator Vladimir Putin claimed in an interview with India Today on Dec. 4.
“I won't go into details, but in the past, I essentially stopped attending these meetings,” he said, adding that the G7’s share of the global economy has declined.
Russia was part of the group when it operated as the G8, but its membership was suspended after the annexation of Crimea and its ongoing aggression against Ukraine.
The comments come as key Western leaders have publicly rejected the idea of Moscow returning to the bloc — a possibility reportedly included in a U.S. peace proposal circulating in diplomatic discussions.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said this week he opposes Russia’s readmission and noted that other G7 members share that position. Any return to the G8 format, he added, would require unanimous agreement among member states.
French President Emmanuel Macron echoed that view, saying there are no conditions under which Russia could be invited back at this time.
The G7 currently includes the United States, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Canada, and Japan — a grouping often described as a club of the world’s most advanced economies.
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