MOSCOW, August 26. /TASS/. The Kremlin thinks it impossible to speak about the revival of the Group of Eight format without consensus of all the Group of Seven nations on that matter, Russia president’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov said on Monday.
"Obviously, it is impossible to return to the G7 at the invitation of only one of its nations because all decisions within that format are taken by consensus," he told journalists, adding that Moscow doesn’t consider US President Donald Trump’s words about the revival of the G8 format as a provocation bearing in mind frictions among the G7 nations on that matter.
"No, we don’t think so," he said answering a corresponding question.
The Kremlin spokesman recalled Russian President Vladimir Putin’s words that readmission to the club of the world’s most industrialized nations was not a goal in itself for Russia. "Nevertheless, Russia has never rejected any cooperation formats. But it is not going to foist itself on anyone," he stressed.
According to Peskov, President Putin stands for good relations with all the G7 nations. "We have quite positive contacts with a number of the Group of Seven nations. For example, with Japan, Italy, France, and Germany. Despite certain differences that are unavoidable in relations with these countries, dialogue continues and expands at various levels and this dialogue helps minimize mistrust and frictions, helps discuss problems and look for solutions not through confrontation, but through dialogue," he said and added he hoped "other nations will join this tendency sooner or later."
The Group of Seven (G7), an informal bloc of countries with the world’s largest economies, has been existing since 1976 to bring together the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Canada, the United States, France and Japan. In 1997, it was renamed the Group of Eight (G8) after Russia joined the club. In 2014, Western countries decided to return to the G7 format in the wake of the developments in Ukraine and the deterioration of relations with Russia.