Canada Against Returning To G8 Format By Inviting Russia Back

Canada opposes Russia's returning to G7, Reuters news agency reported on Thursday, citing its an anonymous Canadian official

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd August, 2019) Canada opposes Russia's returning to G7, Reuters news agency reported on Thursday, citing its an anonymous Canadian official.

Previously, the Japanese Foreign Ministry's officials expressed the desire to engage in dialogue with Moscow, not ruling out reinstating G8 by bringing Russia back.

"Russia was not invited to this meeting and the prime minister's position, Canada's position, remains the same as last year when this came up as well. The answer was no," the official said, quoted by Reuters.

The G8 format had been in place from 1998-2014, but was reduced to the G7 due to disagreements with Russia regarding the events in Crimea and Ukraine.

On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump agreed to a proposal by French President Emmanuel Macron to invite Russia to the 2020 G7 summit in the United States.