Germany says reviving G-8 with Russia 'not up for debate'

The German government says there are no plans to invite Russia to return to the club of leading industrialized nations.

Russia was kicked out of the G-8 after its 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region and assistance for pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.

A spokesman for Chancellor Angela Merkel says "a change to the G-7 format isn't up for debate at the moment."

Steffen Seibert spoke to reporters Friday ahead of Merkel's upcoming trip to Russia.

The chancellor meets Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi on Tuesday to discuss the situations in Ukraine, Syria and Libya.

Germany hosts a summit of the broader G-20 club of leading and emerging economies, of which Russia is a member, in July.