Trump Calls Russia’s Expulsion From G8 a ‘Mistake’ as Leaders Meet

The leaders of Canada, Italy, the US, France, Germany, UK and Japan have gathered for the G7 summit in the mountain resort of Kananaskis in Canada along with EU officials and other guests, with the focus on renewed conflict in the Middle East and the ongoing war in Ukraine. 

Russia was expelled from the political and economic forum following its 2014 annexation of Crimea, a precursor to its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. 

Speaking at a press conference following talks with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Monday, Trump criticized past G7 leaders for throwing Russia out of the club while repeating his assertion that the large-scale conflict in Ukraine would not have happened if he were president when it kicked off. 

“I would say that was a mistake, because I think you wouldn’t have a war right now if you had Russia in [the group] and you wouldn’t have a war right now if Trump were president four years ago,” U.K. newspaper The Guardian quoted Trump as saying. 

Stark geopolitical fault lines are on display at this year’s G7 leaders’ summit, with Trump much keener for reconciliation with Russia than major European powers. The states differ in their attitude towards the Middle East crisis, too, and in contrast to previous years, the member countries are not expected to issue a joint communiqué at the end of the three-day gathering. 

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Zelensky eyes weapon purchase 

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is expected to be present at the talks on Tuesday, said he planned to talk to his US counterpart about the procurement of new weaponry. 

“We are not talking to America today about new aid,” Ukrainian state news agency Ukrinform quoted him as saying during a visit to Austria on Monday. 

“One of the questions that I will discuss with President Trump during the meeting is the defense package that Ukraine is ready to buy. And we will talk this over with him. I am confident that we will have such an opportunity—at least, I am counting on it.”  

One European official at the meeting told the Reuters news agency that Russia is very much on American minds as top diplomats come together in Canada. 

“In the eyes of the U.S., there’s no condemnation for Ukraine; no peace without Russia; and now even credit for its mediation role with Iran,” the diplomat said in reference to comments by Trump on Saturday that Russian President Vladimir Putin could mediate in the Middle East conflict. “For Europeans, this will be a really tough G7.”  

In related news, Russia’s foreign ministry said on Monday that Washington had canceled the coming round of bilateral talks aimed at easing tensions between the former Cold War enemies. 

The ministry’s spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, did not elaborate on any reason for the hiatus. However, despite several phone calls between the two countries’ leaders, no breakthrough has been made in peace talks over the war in Ukraine, leading Trump to voice frustration over the process.