Russia has announced its intention to permanently walk away from the G8 group of industrialised nations – more than two years after it was kicked out over the illegal annexation of Crimea.
Moscow said it had no intention of re-joining the influential bloc – which brings together the world’s richest countries to discuss global issues from economic growth to terrorism – even if it was invited to do so. Russia’s involvement in the G8 was “not being discussed in Moscow in any way”, said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
The country was temporarily suspended from the bloc – which includes the UK, US, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Canada – in March 2014. Since then, the G7 has met in its place.

source: independent.com