US President Donald Trump has reignited debate over Russia’s 2014 expulsion from the Group of Eight (G8), calling it a “big mistake” during the G7 summit in Canada. The Kremlin welcomed his comments, saying it agreed with Trump’s assessment but also dismissed the G7 as “rather useless” in the current global context.
Speaking alongside Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the start of the G7 summit, Trump said the war in Ukraine might have been avoided if Russia had remained in the G8.
“You wouldn’t have that war,” Trump said as per The Guardian. “You know you have your enemy at the table. I don’t even consider, he wasn’t really an enemy at that time.”
Russia was expelled from the G8 in 2014 over its annexation of Crimea, turning the bloc back into the G7.
Trump denies exiting G7 over Middle East situation
President Trump clarified that his early departure from the summit had no connection with the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict. President Emmanuel Macron “mistakenly said that I left the G7 Summit, in Canada, to go back to DC to work on a ceasefire between Israel and Iran," said Trump in a post on Truth Social.
"Wrong! He has no idea why I am now on my way to Washington, but it certainly has nothing to do with a Cease Fire. Much bigger than that. Whether purposely or not, Emmanuel always gets it wrong. Stay Tuned!" he added.
