G8 prepares expulsion of Russia

BERLIN - Russia is threatened to lose its status as a G8 member country amid the Ukrainian crisis as the G7 group is considering to choose London as an alternative meeting place for the Sochi summit, local media reported on Saturday.

The group of seven major industrialized nations (G7) is reportedly preparing for a meeting without Russia, sources from the German government was quoted by German media Spiegel as saying.

The British government suggested London as an alternative meeting place for a G8 meeting that includes Russia and had been scheduled to take place in Sochi in June.

Germany would also cancel the German-Russian government consultations planned to be held in Germany's Leipzig in April if Russia does not change its path in relation to the crisis in Ukraine's Crimea, according to Spiegel reports.

A Spokeswoman of the German government told Xinhua on Saturday that Germany has, in agreement with other G7 countries, the preparations for the G8 summit in Sochi suspended, but said no other decisions have been made besides that.