Prodi: Rome Should Return Moscow to Cooperation in G8 Format

© AP Photo / Giuseppe AresuFormer Italian Premier Romano Prodi (File)
Former Italian Premier Romano Prodi (File) - Sputnik International
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Former Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi stated that the prospects of Russia getting an invitation to the G7 summit in May were increasing against the backdrop of US President Donald Trump's attempt to mend ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

National flags of the G8 countries and the flag of the European Union fly near a logo of the G-8 summit in St. Petersburg, Thursday, July 13, 2006 - Sputnik International
Italy Sees Chance to Gain 'International Prestige' by Returning Russia to G8
ROME (Sputnik) — Italy should exert every effort to return Russia to cooperation within the framework of the Group of Eight (G8) major economies, former Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi said Sunday.

"I think that the goal of Italy as the chair country of the Group of Seven [G7] is to do everything possible for gradual return of Russia to the work in the G8 format. The main reason for restoration of relations with Russia is in the necessity to take a position [on the issue] before the US president makes it," Prodi said in an article published in the Messaggero newspaper.

The politician added that the prospects of invitation of Russia to the G7 summit in May were increasing against the backdrop of US President Donald Trump's attempt to mend ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

National flags of the G8 countries and the flag of the European Union fly near a logo of the G-8 summit in St. Petersburg, Thursday, July 13, 2006 - Sputnik International
Russia Must be Returned to G8 Summit - Former Japanese PM
The G8 turned into the G7 after the western countries accused Moscow of meddling in the Ukrainian crisis in 2014 and refused to visit Russia's Sochi, which was the venue of the group's summit.

Angelino Alfano, the foreign minister of Italy, which is currently holding the chairmanship of the G7 group, has voiced the necessity to improve the relations with Russia and even to restore the G8 format. At the same time, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in January that the restoration of the G8 format was not under discussion in Moscow.

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