Russia suspended from G-8 as Putin signs Crimea treaty

PARIS: France’s foreign minister says that leaders of the Group of Eight world powers have suspended Russia’s participation in the club amid tensions over Ukraine and Russia’s incursion into Crimea.

The other seven members of the group had already suspended preparations for a G-8 summit that Russia is scheduled to host in June in Sochi.

Laurent Fabius went further on Tuesday, saying on Europe-1 radio that “concerning the G-8 … we decided to suspend Russia’s participation, and it is envisaged that all the other countries, the seven leading countries, will unite without Russia.”

The US and European Union on Tuesday announced new sanctions against Russia over its actions in the Crimean Peninsula.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a treaty making Crimea part of Russia again but said he did not plan to seize any other regions of Ukraine.