Russia, on Trump idea for G7 return, says show us the proposals: Ifax

Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova reacts during the annual news conference of the Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (not pictured) in Moscow, Russia on January 16, 2019. (REUTERS File Photo)

MOSCOW, August 21 (Reuters): Russia needs to receive and examine tangible proposals for it to return to the G7 group of nations if that is what is being proposed, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday, the Interfax news agency reported.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday it would be appropriate to let Russia join the G7 group of advanced industrialised countries.

"It's hard to understand what this is about right now," Interfax quoted Zakharova as saying. "Therefore, it is necessary to move the discussion of this topic from the sphere of public entertainment to the professional one if the Group of Seven wants to position itself as a serious format."

Russia was excluded from the then G8 in 2014 because of its annexation of Crimea from Ukraine.