The leaders of the Group of Seven (the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, France, Italy, Germany, and Japan) have called on the Russian Federation to withdraw its troops from Ukraine's eastern border and on the Crimean peninsula. We call on Russia to alleviate tensions and act in accordance with its international obligations, and to withdraw the Russian military troops and materiel at the eastern border of Ukraine and on the Crimean peninsula," they said in the communiqué. "We remain firmly of the view that Russia is a party to the conflict in Eastern Ukraine, not a mediator.