The prospect of Russia rejoining the G7 group of the world`s leading industrialized nations will be used as part of a carrot and stick approach to persuade President Vladimir Putin to pull out of Syria, The Daily Telegraph understands.
Rex Tillerson, the U.S. Secretary of State, will fly to Moscow later this week with an ultimatum from the G7 demanding that Putin withdraws his armed forces and ends his support for President Bashar al-Assad. Threats of new sanctions against Russia could be made if he does not comply, according to The Daily Telegraph.
See also: The President of PACE calls for the lifting sanctions against Russia
But alongside the hardline approach being taken by America and its Western allies, diplomats will be working behind the scenes to offer Mr. Putin a way to regain his place at the G7, something he is said to covet.
Russia was expelled from what was the G8 in 2014 as a direct response to its annexation of Crimea. Sergey Lavrov, Russia`s foreign minister, tried to shrug off the punishment at the time, saying the G20, of which Russia remains a member, was far more important.
British and American diplomats, however, believe that Mr. Putin is desperate to rejoin the G7, which consists of the U.S., the UK, France, Germany, Canada, Italy and Japan. They also believe that his enthusiasm for the Assad regime is waning, and that he is looking for a dignified way out.
See also: Kremlin rules out another referendum in occupied Crimea for lifting sanctions
