G7 may be ‘window of opportunity’ on Ukraine

BRUSSELS (AFP) -- The Group of Seven rich countries are hoping to make headway on the Ukraine crisis this week as tensions ease with Russia, European sources said Tuesday.

Leaders will push President Vladimir Putin to engage with Ukraine‘s new head of state in seeking a diplomatic solution to the crisis when he meets G7 leaders in France later this week.

Putin, French President Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister David Cameron are all attending D-Day anniversary events in France on Friday.

The G7, which meets in Brussels without Russia on Wednesday and Thursday, is expected to warn Putin to do more to end destabilisation in eastern Ukraine or face more sanctions, the sources said.

“We can’t exclude that, on sanctions ... if there is a stepping up in destabilising actions, the EU will have to consider additional measures,” a European source said on condition of anonymity.

“Now the priority is to get a political and diplomatic solution using the window of opportunity of the election of the Ukrainian president.”

Referring to the D-Day anniversary meetings, the source said that “I think this will be the message they will want to convey” to Russia.

U.S. President Barack Obama and the other G7 leaders will discuss Ukraine and other foreign policy issues at a dinner on Wednesday.

Russia was originally due to host the annual G8 summit in the resort of Sochi, but the G7 leaders agreed in March to exclude Putin and hold the smaller G7 format in Brussels following Russia’s absorption of Crimea.

The tone is however more conciliatory following the relatively smooth May 25 election in Ukraine, which was won by tycoon Petro Poroshenko.

U.S. President Barack Obama held talks with Poroshenko in Warsaw on Tuesday and urged Putin to meet the Ukrainian president-elect.

The sources said they “would not exclude” G7 leaders discussing the possibility of readmitting Russia at some point in the future.

“We’ve lost Crimea, but it‘s too soon to let Russia back into the club,” said an EU diplomat who asked not to be named.

But they accused Moscow of failing to do enough to prevent unrest in eastern Ukraine, where separatist rebels have been fighting Ukrainian security forces.

“There’s still too much trouble in eastern Ukraine,” said the diplomat.

“Russia can do more to avoid destabilisation than they’re doing,” the other European souce added.

“Last week we asked the Russians to use their leverage on some of the forces or activities in the eastern party of the country.”