Russia's return to the G7 is currently "unthinkable," French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said on French television, Le Figaro reported on Feb. 16.
"The G7 is a group of the most developed large democracies. Does Russia want to appear as a developed democracy? No, it doesn't. That is why it is unacceptable today," he said, adding that Russia was behaving less and less like a democracy and attacking other G7 members without restraint.
However, he did not rule out the possibility of Russia returning to the G7 in the future, once the war in Ukraine is resolved and a lasting peace is established.
"In the future, why not? The responsibility for this war lies on the shoulders of [Russian dictator Vladimir] Putin. It was not the Russian people who started this war. If, after creating the conditions for a just and lasting peace, we manage to restore relations with the Russian people, other diplomatic relations are possible."
This follows US President Donald Trump's statement on Feb. 13 that he would like to see Russia return to the G7 group of advanced economies, and that the country's expulsion was "a mistake."
"I'd love to have them back. I think it was a mistake to throw them out. Look, it's not a question of liking Russia or not liking Russia," he said.
