Russia, which had criticized the NATO-led air strikes on Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's forces, surprisingly toughened its stance on Libya during the just wrapped-up G8 summit held in France's seaside resort of Deauville.

The summit from Thursday to Friday, attended by eight world powers including Russia and the United States, ended with a unanimously-adopted declaration.

It said "Gaddafi and the Libyan government have failed to fulfill their responsibility to protect the Libyan population and have lost all legitimacy." "He (Gaddafi) must go," it stressed.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Friday called on Gaddafi to give up power and said Russia would not offer shelter to him.

"The world community no longer sees him as the Libyan leader," he said.

While Western countries would use force to overthrow Gaddafi, Russia said it still favors Gaddafi's decent departure through negotiations.

Medvedev had sent an envoy to the rebel bastion of Benghazi to seek solutions to the conflict.

Disturbed by Russia's change of position, Libyan Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Kaim Friday said the Libyan government was in contact with the Russian side to better understand its position.

Russia had been critical of the NATO-led air raids, which started over two months ago, saying air strikes went beyond the UN Security Council resolution, which mandated a no-fly zone over the North African country.

In contrast to the Libyan government's confusion, Chairman of the Libyan opposition's National Transitional Council (CNT) Mustafa Abdel Jalil on Saturday hailed Russia's latest position.