All the participants of the G7 summit, which opens today in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, would prefer to see Russia at the table of the forum of the 'Seven', but it will not happen as long as Russia continues to "act aggressively against Ukraine or other countries," the chairman of the European Council, Donald Tusk, said today at a press conference before the start of the summit.
"I would like to see Russia as a partner, not an enemy or an anti-European opponent, but we have no choice. We would prefer to see Russia at the table of the forum of the 'Seven', so it would be the 'Eight', to which Russia was invited in the 90s. However, our group is a community of values, so Russia is not with us today, and will not be invited as long as it acts aggressively against Ukraine or other countries," he said, Tass reports.
The process of making a decision on prolongation of the anti-Russian economic sanctions by the EU can be accelerated, the final decision to extend them could be taken before the summit of the EU leaders on June 25-26, Donald Tusk said.
"I hope that we will organize a formal, technical solution before the summit of the EU leaders in late June, which is actually in the next few days ... I have no doubt, and it's not just my opinion, that this is a moment when we must renew our positions. But it is not a radicalization," RIA Novosti quotes Tusk as saying.
"This is the most important thing today, because I want to be realistic, the sanctions will be maintained against Russia because of the apparent violation of the Minsk Agreement," he said at a press conference, adding: "My personal desire is to be a partner of the Russian Federation, rather than have it as an enemy, or an economic problem."
