Fully restore Ukraine’s internationally recognized territory.
This includes the Crimean peninsula and the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine. From these two regions, Russia must remove all of its troops, mercenaries, and security officials.
Moscow must also introduce a robust disarming and demobilization program for Russian-backed separatists in these regions.
Pay full compensation and economic reparations to Ukraine for its actions since 2014.
At the time of occupation, Crimea alone accounted for 4% of Ukraine's gross domestic product.
In 2017, Ukraine's Ministry of Justice assessed the economic damage of Crimea's annexation alone to be $100 billion.
Release all Ukrainian political prisoners who have been held in custody since 2014.
Today, Russia holds more than 70 political prisoners from Ukraine.
Release the 24 Ukrainian sailors who have been held in custody since 2018.
During the Kerch Strait incident in November 2018, Russia illegally captured 24 Ukrainian sailors. Russia continues to hold them in custody with no official release date.
Formally apologize to the Crimean Tatars for their treatment during Russia’s occupation of Crimea.
The Crimean Tatars are a Sunni-Muslim and ethnically Turkic minority group who have encountered much religious and political persecution from the Russians.
In June 2018, five Crimean Tatar activists were jailed for their involvement in anti-Russia protests in February 2014—before Russia annexed Crimea.
Then, in March 2019, 23 Crimean Tatar activists were jailed for associating with the pan-Islamist political party Hizb ut-Tahrir (Party of Liberation), which is legal in Ukraine but banned in Russia.
Acknowledge responsibility for the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in July 2014 and suitably compensate the families of those killed in the incident.
MH17 was en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. When the plane was flying over eastern Ukraine, Russian soldiers fired a missile from the 53rd anti-aircraft missile brigade and shot it down, motivation unknown.
A total of 298 people from 17 countries died as a result. In May 2018, a Joint Investigation Team consisting of experts from Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, and Ukraine found Russia to be responsible for the tragedy.
Comply fully with the 2008 Six-Point Cease-fire Agreement with Georgia ...
... regarding the two occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali—which amount to 20% of Georgia's internationally recognized territory.
More than a decade after signing the agreement, Russia still has not lived up to its side of the bargain: (1) Russian military forces have not pulled back to pre-invasion locations, and (2) Russia has not allowed humanitarian-aid groups free access to the occupied regions. Several thousand Russian troops are stationed in these occupied regions.
End its support for Syrian President Assad and demonstrate a genuine willingness to work with the international community to bring a political end to the Syrian civil war.
When it appeared that Assad was in danger of being ousted in 2016, Russia militarily intervened and has since propped up the Syrian dictator.
This has since prolonged the killing, which has left more than 600,000 people dead and has turned Syria into a breeding ground for Islamic extremism. The sooner this civil war ends, the better for everyone.
Cease all meddling in the domestic elections of the US and its allies.
All 17 US intelligence agencies concluded that Russia meddled in the 2016 US presidential campaign. Similar accusations have been made against Russia concerning elections in France, Germany, and Italy. This behavior is not acceptable for a G8 member.
Russia has a long way to go
The G7 is an organization that allows like-minded democracies to work together to tackle many of the world's major problems. Putin has not demonstrated that he can be a trusted partner, and President Trump is wrong to say that Russia should be allowed back in the club at this time.
If Russia does change its ways, it should be invited back. Russia is a proud country. For better or for worse, it has a history of being at the center of global affairs. But it can only reenter the G7 once it demonstrates that it is a responsible and collegiate actor on the international stage. This is unlikely to occur while Putin is in power.
Luke Coffey is director of the Douglas and Sarah Allison Center for Foreign Policy, of the Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for National Security and Foreign Policy, at The Heritage Foundation. Alexis Mrachek is a research assistant in the Allison Center.
