G7 nations agreed to hold their own summit instead of attending a planned G8 meeting in Russia. Photo: AP
(VOVworld) - The world’s leading industrial powers (G-7) threatened further sanctions on Russia over the Ukrainian crisis and said they will boycot the June Group of Eight (G8) summit hosted by Russia in Sochi. On the sidelines of the 3rd nuclear security summit in the Hague, Netherlands, G7 called on Russia to initiate talks with Ukraine with international intermediaries. G7 members decided not to attend the upcoming G8 Summit with Russia until Moscow changes its political policies. Russia has not yet responded to the announcement. However, speaking after the meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry in the Hague, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia would not make an effort to maintain G-8 at any cost, because this is an open bloc and no country has the right to kick another country out of the bloc. The same day, Lavrov held direct talks with Ukrainian acting Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsya and said Deshchytsya has proposed bilateral talks to resolve the crisis.