LONDON, June 13. /TASS/. G7 leaders call for stable and predictable relations with Russia but urge Moscow to stop the behavior they consider destabilizing, the final communique of the summit said on Sunday.
“We reiterate our interest in stable and predictable relations with Russia, and will continue to engage where there are areas of mutual interest. We reaffirm our call on Russia to stop its destabilising behaviour and malign activities, including its interference in other countries’ democratic systems, and to fulfil its international human rights obligations and commitments,” the final statement said.
The Group of Seven also urged Moscow to respect human rights and called to hold responsible those within Russia, who in their opinion, are involved in cyberattacks. “In particular, we call on Russia to urgently investigate and credibly explain the use of a chemical weapon on its soil, to end its systematic crackdown on independent civil society and media, and to identify, disrupt, and hold to account those within its borders who conduct ransomware attacks, abuse virtual currency to launder ransoms, and other cybercrimes,” the 25-page document said.
Russia has been consistently refuting the West’s statements that its actions are of destabilizing nature or that
Leaders of the G7 group of nations comprising the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Canada, the United States, France and Japan, are gathering in the seaside resort of Carbis Bay in Cornwall, UK on June 11-13.
Head of the European Council Charles Michel, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen as well as the invited leaders of Australia, South Korea and South Africa and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the new Director General of the WTO, are also among the participants. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is participating in a remote format due to the tense coronavirus situation in his country. The main issue of the summit’s agenda is the global recovery after the coronavirus pandemic.
‘Normandy format’
G7 leaders have agreed to support Ukraine’s democratic institutions and pointed out the importance of talks in the Normandy format.
“We reiterate our support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders,” the statement said. Additionally, the G7 leaders urged Russia “to alleviate tensions and act in accordance with its international obligations, and to withdraw the Russian military troops and materiel at the eastern border of Ukraine and on the Crimean peninsula.”
The document also noted that the G7 leaders consider Russia “a party to the conflict in Eastern Ukraine, not a mediator.”
“We affirm our support for the Normandy Process to secure the implementation of the Minsk agreements,” the document stated. The G7 leaders urged Russia “to engage constructively and recommit to the ceasefire.”
“We reaffirm our efforts to strengthen Ukraine’s democracy and institutions, encouraging further progress on reform,” the G7 leaders pointed out.
After the coup took place in Ukraine in February 2014, the residents of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions refused to recognize the country’s new authorities and launched mass protest rallies. In April, then Acting Ukrainian President Alexander Turchinov announced the start of a military operation in Donbass, with Kiev accusing Moscow of interfering on the side of Donbass. The Russian side repeatedly emphasized that it was not a party to the internal Ukrainian conflict and has been consistently supporting a complete implementation of the Minsk Agreements it signed as a mediator in the peaceful settlement process.
Source:tass.com