Downing Street has slapped down suggestions Russia could rejoin the G7, after a minister appeared to signal it could.
Vladimir Putin’s nation was suspended indefinitely from what was then the G8 in 2014 after the annexation of Crimea.
Speaking to broadcasters on Monday morning, security minister Dan Jarvis appeared to suggest there could be a path back into the forum for Russia as part of the talks to broker peace in Ukraine.
But Downing Street distanced itself from these suggestions, and said the UK could not “countenance Russia joining the G7 whilst it has got illegal forces in Ukraine”.
Asked if the UK could allow Russia back into the G7 while it still holds on to Crimea, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “Our position on this, I am not going to get ahead of the talks that are ongoing.
“Our focus is on putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position, exercising maximum pressure on Russia.”
He insisted the UK “position on the G7 just hasn’t changed”, adding: “We can’t countenance Russia joining the G7 whilst it has got illegal forces in Ukraine.
“That has been our longstanding position. That position hasn’t changed.”
Pressed on why Mr Jarvis suggested that Russian membership of the G7 was up for discussion during the morning broadcast round, the spokesman said: “The security minister was referring to the fact we are at the very beginning of a potential peace process and he was talking more broadly about the fact that talks are happening on a wide range of measures relating to Russia and Ukraine.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow (Mikhail Metzel, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Speaking to Times Radio, the security minister had earlier said Russia rejoining the G7 would be “a matter to be discussed with international allies”.
Mr Jarvis added: “That is a matter that no doubt will be considered at the point at which the conflict in Ukraine has been concluded.
“And we need to get to that point as quickly as we possibly can.”
Pressed further about whether Russia rejoining the G7 was specifically under discussion, the minister said: “You’ll understand that there’ll be a range of conversations taking place with international allies.
“And the Prime Minister will be discussing, I’m sure, a range of matters relating to Russia and Ukraine and other matters as well.”