Report: Russian foreign ministry sees G8 return talks empty

MOSCOW, Apr 12 (PRIME) -- Talks about a possible Russian return to the Group of Eight format are empty, Foreign Ministry’s official representative Maria Zakharova said in an interview to Vesti FM radio station broadcast late on Tuesday.

On March 27, Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano said he hoped that the G8 format with Russia’s participation will be restored soon.

“I would like to speak on the return to the G8, of which we hear talks from the other side. First, it comes only from the other side. Second, this is just, you know, cheap talk. If people are serious about something, they make decisions whether they are for or against it. Why are they always talking about it? They should do it for once. Back then they made a unilateral decision, they had the strength to do it, but these further talks do nothing,” she said.

“They are just devaluing themselves with this rhetoric, they are just playing with words. If they make a decision, it will be considered. But why do they just talk with no actions following these words? This is just empty talk.”

Relations between Russia and the West worsened in 2014 due to a military conflict in Ukraine. The West introduced sanctions against some Russian individuals and firms and against the oil, gas, and banking industries. In response, Russia limited food imports from some countries, including the U.S., the E.U., Canada, Australia, and Norway. Also in 2014, participants of the G8 decided to not come to the summit in Sochi and gathered in Brussels without representatives of Russia.

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