The Russian side does not intend to join the G7 and is not interested in the restoration of the G8, since this format is outdated, said Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

However, the West continues to speculate on this topic, passing off wishful thinking, the minister stressed.

“Each time they meet, they say that they will not call Russia into the G7.

We have said many times that we will never go there again.

This G8 will no longer exist, this is yesterday, "he stressed.

"Nevertheless, the revival of this topic, as well as the topic of the fact that Russia" surrendered "," returned the troops to the barracks "(we are talking about exercises in the Southern and Western military districts. -

RT

), of course, shows: the West wants from this to derive, first of all, advantages for promoting their decisive word, place in modern international relations.

This is sad, "Lavrov stated in an interview with MIA Rossiya Segodnya.

  • Sergey Lavrov

  • © Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation

Loyalty question

We will remind, in mid-April, the press secretary of the White House Jen Psaki said that the goal of the American leadership is "predictable and stable relations" with Russia.

“We may have disagreements in areas where they still exist;

we are not so naive.

But we also believe that there is a chance for cooperation in some areas, ”she said at the briefing.

In her opinion, US President Joe Biden believes that Russia "is currently in many respects on the sidelines of the global community."

“There is the G7, but not the G8 ... Naturally, we imposed sanctions to make it clear that actions must have consequences;

the Europeans did the same.

The President proposes to build bridges again.

So, of course, he believes that it is in their (Russia. -

RT

) interests to accept this offer, "Psaki said.

  • Jen Psaki

  • © REUTERS / Evelyn Hockstein

In February 2021, Psaki also touched upon the topic of a possible restoration of the G8 format.

Answering the question of journalists whether the "invitation" for Russia to join the G7, which was allegedly made by the Trump administration, remains in force, Psaki said that she did not think that "new invitations for Russia are coming from the White House."

“It is obvious that such an invitation would be made jointly with the G7 partners,” she added.

According to experts, talks on the topic of cooperation and dialogue on the part of Washington pursue quite pragmatic goals.

“The West is scared by the fact that Russia is 'unpredictable'.

Predictability, as interpreted by the West, is submissiveness.

And Russia acts only on the basis of its national interests.

This scares the American side, so it is trying to carry out dual tactics - to press and offer obedience, ”said Leonid Polyakov, head of the Department of General Political Science at the Higher School of Economics, in a commentary to RT.

According to Pavel Feldman, Deputy Director of the Institute for Strategic Studies and Problems of the RUDN University, the proposal to "build bridges" by the United States in the current situation is part of a global bargaining, and not a sincere desire to restore relations.

“The West thinks that it is possible to force Russia to exchange its strategic priorities for some kind of conditional softening of relations.

Obviously this will not happen.

Of course, there should be some kind of communication formats, but their work should not be built in a tone that is condescending towards Russia, "said the interlocutor of RT.

"The decisions are not binding"

Let us recall that the “Big Seven” (or, more correctly, the “Group of Seven”) is usually called the format of interaction between a number of leading world powers that took shape at the end of the last century.

The format is intended to harmonize the approaches of countries in the economy, international politics and solving global problems.

At the same time, the work of the G7 is not regulated by any special international treaty, unlike most international institutions.

The key event in the activities of the G7 is the summits, which are held alternately in the territory of the participating countries.

The format was founded in 1975, when, at the initiative of French President Valerie Giscard d'Estaing, a summit of leaders of the leading industrial countries took place: Great Britain, Germany, Italy, USA, France and Japan.

Subsequently, Canada joined the format.

The prologue to the expansion of the "seven" was the message of the General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee Mikhail Gorbachev in 1989 to the participants of the next summit, in which the Soviet leader announced the USSR's readiness for cooperation.

Moscow received an invitation to dialogue in 1992, and Russia's full participation in the G8 began at the 1997 summit.

  • G8 leaders at the Lough Erne summit, Northern Ireland

  • © REUTERS / Suzanne Plunkett

The partnership fell apart in 2014 amid the crisis in Donbass and the reunification of Crimea and Russia.

The next G8 summit was supposed to take place in June 2014 in Sochi.

However, the countries of the group suspended their participation in the G8, agreeing to hold meetings without the participation of the Russian side.

However, Moscow then calmly reacted to this decision of its Western partners.

As Sergei Lavrov said, "if our Western partners believe that this format has outlived its usefulness, then so be it."

“We don't cling to him.

We do not see a big trouble if he doesn’t get together, ”said the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

As Leonid Polyakov explained, the G7 was initially created as a Western club of the largest economies.

“And although, for example, China has the largest economy, it will not be a member of this club, since it does not fit into the ideological format of Western capitalist countries,” the expert explained.

The Big Seven is the "Friends" Club of Washington.

And one should not overestimate the importance of this platform, its decisions are not even binding.

Russia found itself in this club when it itself stood at a crossroads and planned to move in the wake of Western politics.

However, the contradictions grew over time, now they are practically insoluble, ”said Pavel Feldman.

Reactionary approach

The talks about the restoration of the G8 format began in 2018.

Then the 45th President of the United States, Donald Trump, announced this.

On the eve of the G7 summit in Quebec, he said that he would recommend returning Russia to the negotiating table.

This idea was supported in Rome: then Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conti said he agreed with the American leader.

In Moscow, such calls were reacted with restraint.

As Vladimir Putin reminded, Russia never left the G8: “Colleagues at one time refused to come to Russia for well-known reasons.

Please, we will be glad to see everyone here in Moscow. " 

Trump announced plans to invite Russia to the next G7 summit again during the group's meeting in Biarritz in the summer of 2019.

Then he explained that Russia's participation in these negotiations would be beneficial for world security and the economy.

  • Donald Trump at the first working meeting of the G7 Summit in Biarritz, France

  • Reuters

  • © Jeff J Mitchell

Trump's statements alarmed the Republican's political opponents.

In October 2019, the Foreign Affairs Committee of the US House of Representatives unanimously adopted a resolution against Russia's accession to the G7 format until it “ceases its occupation of all territories falling under the sovereignty of Ukraine”. 

“From the very beginning of his presidency, Trump has proclaimed a course towards improving relations with Russia.

Talks about the restoration of the Big Eight are part of this policy, but Trump failed to implement it, ”says Leonid Polyakov.

According to Pavel Feldman, the 45th US President understood that Washington and the West as a whole needed a pragmatic dialogue with Russia.

“He wanted to establish a more predictable, more civilized format of conversation between Washington and Moscow.

But his initiatives also did not imply an equal relationship.

It is possible that Russia would have been offered not full, but reduced participation in the G7.

Of course, this would not suit Moscow, ”the expert explained.

Berlin had previously opposed the idea of ​​restoring the G8 format.

As stated in July 2020, the head of the German Foreign Ministry Heiko Maas, the German side cannot "just agree that the borders in Europe are changing in the 21st century."

"Until this issue is resolved, I do not see the possibility of inviting Russia," added Maas.

In response, the press secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow is completely satisfied with the G20 format and does not seek to join the G7.

  • Vladimir Putin

  • RIA News

Experts doubt that the G8 will ever be restored to its original composition.

“After 2014, insoluble contradictions arose between Russia and the collective West.

Western countries demand the impossible - that Russia give up Crimea and leave Donbass to the mercy of fate.

And until the West changes this approach, rapprochement is impossible, ”says Leonid Polyakov.

This point of view is shared by Pavel Feldman.

According to him, the G8 will no longer be restored.

“Membership in such a club is not a priority for Russia.

There are more representative structures where you can discuss issues of the world economy and politics - the G20, BRICS.

In general, the role of informal platforms for negotiations has been steadily declining lately, ”the expert summed up.