German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that the absence of the Russian Federation at the summit of G7 is a loss.
However, she added that such a step was necessary.
"In a certain sense, [it] is a loss, but it was necessary," the politician stated.
Merkel stressed that the fighting in eastern Ukraine and Russia’s actions in Crimea violated the "peaceful order in Europe that formed after the Second World War."
"Some things require a lot of time, but in this case we need a change in Russia's position, which I currently don’t see," Merkel said in an interview with radio station RTL.
The "G8" has turned into the "G7" after seven participating countries refused to take part in the 2014 summit in Sochi and met without Russia’s participation in Brussels. The decision was provoked by the military conflict in Ukraine, with Western countries accusing Russia of alleged involvement in the crisis.
