In comments today before a meeting with Russian FM Sergey Lavrov, German FM Frank-Walter Steinmeier dismissed reports Russia might be invited to attend a future G-8 meeting, what with being a G-8 member at all.
Steinmeier insisted that the G-8 will remain the G-7, and Russia won’t be invited, for the foreseeable future until the Ukraine civil war is resolved. Russia continues to press Ukraine on a ceasefire there, and reported more progress today.
Steinmeier, notably, was one of the few G-7 members to oppose the exclusion of Russia in the first place, and Germany has been working alongside Russia in getting the Ukraine ceasefire implemented.
Since Russia is the only G-8 member that is not in America’s back pocket, the G-7 meetings seem to only amount to photo opportunities to highlight the Russian absence. Despite this, officials continue to schedule “summits” for the remaining nations.
This is the position which has prevailed all along. If Putin wants to be part of the international community, he has to abide by its rules. No annexations!
Whilst we are on the subject of rules how about :-
1) No wars of aggression, especially those based on total fabrication (iraq, Libya, Afghanistan etc)
2) No destruction of civilian infrastructure (a war crime) as in Serbia, Gaza etc.
3) No collective punishment as most notably in Gaza (prohibited by international law)
3) No interference in the internal affairs of other countries (eg Ukraine, Venezuela and other countries too numerous to list) especially no coups.
4) No torture, or cruel or unusual punishments, both contrary to international law (Guantanamo bay, Abu Graib and numerous CIA black sites)
5) No white phosphorus or other prohibited weapons (Fallujah, Gaza etc) or cluster munitions in civilian areas (Ukraine, Gaza)
6) No hypocrisy or double standards, I speak here of the secession of Kosovo as compared to the secession of Crimea. ( My own position on Crimea is that once they have seceeded, they can do as they damned well please. Since the right to secede had already been established by the Kosovo precedent, then nothing untoward has taken place)
Perhaps if you weren't so highly selective with your (alleged) support of international norms and laws then people here might be more inclined to take you seriously. I look forward to reading your contributions the next time Israel bombs Palestinian civilians or annexes some more land (I won't be holding my breath)
I'm pretty sure Russia would of never of annexed Crimea. If the US government didn't overthrow the democratically elected government of Ukraine. And then install a Fascist/Nazi regime, that is now a threat to Russia's National Security. Besides the people of Crimea voted by a overwhelming majority to rejoin Russia.
> No annexations!
Because in the 21st century, the thing to do is to bomb countries to pieces under R2P dogmatics, sit on them for a while, then go home once everything has been abraded to stone age levels, leaving a mess behind that can then be fueld by weapons deliveries and "no boots on the ground". NO ANNEXATIONS!
Also, look at the heads of state of the G7. Political ability may be found with Mme Merkel and, uh… uh-oh, the situation is dire!
In fact Ron is right.The second day after Yanoukovitsh departure I remember Yatseniuk shouting :
no russian naval bases in Sevastopol, we gonna replace them by Nato. I think that Russia has also the right to fear for its security.The west has promised to Gorbatshev not to exend.Now we see the results.