Russia to return to G7 after leaving Crimea and Donbas – Freeland

“I think all of us would be delighted to welcome a Russia which sought again to be a member in good standing of our like-minded group of countries, a group of countries committed to the rule of law, a group of countries committed to democracy. And the way for Russia to show that it wants to do that is to leave Crimea and to end the war in the Donbas. It’s very simple,” Freeland commented on President Trump’s initiative to return Russia to the G7.

The minister emphasized that “Canada has taken a very clear position concerning Russia and the G7. It’s also my personal position.”

“Russia’s violation of international law in annex – in invading Crimea and annexing it, in continuing to support war in the Donbas, is something we cannot allow to stand, and that is why Russia was expelled from the G7, because of that action,” she said.

As a reminder, according to CNN, Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron during a telephone conversation on August 20 agreed to return Russia to the G7 as early as next year. The governments of Germany and the United Kingdom opposed this decision.

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