Russia has kept Abkhazia and South Ossetia illegally occupied for more than 10 years, Putin violated the international law principles and remains unpunished – Christopher Smith, American Congressman said following adoption of a resolution which disapproves Russia’s participation in future G7 summits.

According to the Congressman, he arrived in Tbilisi one week after Russia’s intrusion into South Ossetia in 2008 and saw the Internally Displaced Persons and killed and wounded civilians when Russian President Vladimir Putin said that he revived the Soviet Union.

“Putin refuses to recognize the territorial integrity of neighbour countries. Because of Russian occupation, thousands of people in Georgia and Ukraine turned into IDPs. Occupation became the reason of violation of human rights of people in both countries,” Christopher Smith said.

On December 4, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution disapproving of Russia being included in future Group of Seven (G-7) summits in a 339-71 vote.

The resolution was introduced by Republican Albio Sires (D-N.J.) in August after US President Donald Trump said in August he believed Russia should be readmitted into the G-7. Russia was expelled from the G-8 in 2014 due to its occupation of territory in Ukraine.