In a dramatic change of tone for Moscow, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov has called on Muammar Gaddafi to go.
Russia has always been critical of UN-sanctioned Western strikes on Gaddafi's forces as they try to quash a pro-democracy rebellion.
'Yes, we are ready to admit... he needs to go,' Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on the sidelines of the G8 summit in northwestern France.
'We believe that Colonel Gaddafi has forfeited legitimacy due to his actions... indeed we need to help him go,' he added.
Moscow's special representative on Africa says Russia has contacts in Gaddafi's entourage with whom it can negotiate his departure.
Russia says its G8 partners have suggested it take a mediation role in the Libyan crisis, although that has not been confirmed by other officials at the Deauville meeting.
Meanwhile, a draft version of the G8 summit statement will also tell the Libyan leader that he has lost all legitimacy and must step down.
The language in the draft being circulated among the delegations in the French resort of Deauville today is stark.
'It is clear that Gaddafi and his regime continue to commit grave abuses against the Libyan people. Gaddafi has lost all legitimacy. He must go,' the statement said, warning: 'These criminal actions will not go unpunished.'
'We demand the immediate cessation of the use of force against civilians by Gaddafi’s followers and mercenaries as well as the cessation of all incitement to hostility and violence against the civilian population,' it said.
Earlier, US President Barack Obama said that the US and France were in full agreement on sticking with the NATO-led intervention in Libya.
'We agreed we have made progress on our Libya campaign but that meeting the UN mandate of civilian protection cannot be accomplished when Gaddafi remains in Libya, directing his forces in acts of aggression against the Libyan people,' Mr Obama told a news briefing at the summit.
'We are joined in resolve to finish the job,' he said, after talks with French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
Smoke rising from Gaddafi compound
A fourth night of NATO air strikes on Tripoli left smoke rising from Gaddafi's compound.
Several large explosions hit Tripoli late last night and a column of smoke was seen rising from Gaddafi's Bab al-Aziziyah base, a Reuters correspondent said.
Forces loyal to Gaddafi yesterday launched the heaviest bombardment on the rebel-held city of Misrata for days.
Rebel spokesmen in Misrata, scene of some of the fiercest fighting in Libya's three-month-old conflict, said a mortar attack there killed three rebels.
Suleim Al-Faqih said the Misrata clashes started when rebels attacked Gaddafi forces, who were using an excavator to dig a trench to block a road.
'We fired on them and advanced. They fell back and started firing mortars,' he said.
