President Donald Trump argued that Russia should be reinstated in the Group of 7 (G7), a forum of advanced democracies it was suspended from after its 2014 invasion of Ukraine. Speaking from the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump said he believed it was a mistake to expel Russia and that the country should be “sitting at the table.”
He noted that it wasn’t about personal feelings towards Russia but about the practical need for them to rejoin the discussions. “Putin would love to be back,” Trump remarked.
Originally part of the G8, Russia’s membership was suspended after its annexation of Crimea, and it officially left the group in 2018. Despite this, Moscow has consistently stated it doesn’t seek reentry.
Trump suggested that the exclusion of Russia from the G7 may have been a factor in the escalation of the war in Ukraine. He mentioned discussions with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other leaders, recalling that former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe fully agreed with his stance. Trump believes that had Russia remained in the G7, the current conflict could have been avoided or mitigated.
Trump’s comments followed a recent phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which the two discussed potential negotiations to end the war. Trump also hinted at a future meeting with Putin, possibly in Saudi Arabia, saying it was “very possible.”
