REUTERS

"The developments in Ukraine are the reason that we will meet in Elmau as the Group of 7 and not a Group of 8," she said in a speech in parliament, referring to the meetings in Bavaria next month without Russia's participation.

"We see the G7 as a community of values. And that means working together for freedom, democracy, and for the rule of law. That means respecting the laws of nations and the territorial integrity of nations," Merkel said.

"Russia's actions in Ukraine are not compatible with that. A return to the G8 format is not imaginable as long as Russia doesn't act according to those basic values," she added.

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As reported, in March 2014 the leaders of the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Japan, Italy and Canada, together with the leaders of the EU for the first time since 1996 met at the summit without Russia because of the annexation of the Ukrainian territory of Crimea.

In April, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on behalf of the G7 foreign ministers said that the G7 could again become G8, if the Kremlin promoted peace in Ukraine.