U.S. President Donald Trump stirred controversy at the G7 summit in Canada by proposing that Russia be readmitted into the group. He also hinted at the possibility of including China.
Speaking alongside Canadian Prime Minister and summit host Mark Carney, Trump called it a “very big mistake” to have excluded Russia from the then-G8 in 2014 following its annexation of Crimea.
Trump Blames Russia’s Removal on Obama and Trudeau
Trump inaccurately claimed that former President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau were responsible for Russia’s removal from the group. Notably, Trudeau was not in office at the time of the 2014 decision. Trump stated, “I think you wouldn’t have a war right now if you had Russia in, and you wouldn’t have a war right now if Trump were president four years ago.”
My God..
Trump really only went to G7 to represent Putin.
pic.twitter.com/ONVJIWkNyI— Jay in Kyiv (@JayinKyiv) June 16, 2025
Trump Says Putin Should Be Part of Global Talks
Trump emphasized that Russian President Vladimir Putin should be included in international discussions, suggesting his presence might have prevented the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
“Putin speaks to me. He doesn’t speak to anybody else,” Trump claimed, adding that Putin felt deeply insulted by the removal from the G8.
When asked about China’s potential inclusion in the G7, Trump responded positively. “It’s not a bad idea. I don’t mind that if somebody wants to see just China coming in,” he said, indicating his openness to expanding the group to include the world’s second-largest economy.
Zelensky to Urge Trump on Tougher Sanctions Against Russia
Trump’s remarks came just before a scheduled meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The Ukrainian leader plans to urge Trump to support stronger U.S. sanctions against Russia—measures that the U.S. Senate has already approved—in response to Moscow’s refusal to accept a 30-day ceasefire.
Ahead of the meeting, Zelensky criticized Russia’s actions and global inaction. “Russia spits in the face of everything the international community is trying to do to stop this war,” he said.
Zelensky argued that the war could have ended earlier if the world had responded more decisively to Russia’s aggression.
He also accused Putin of using international conflicts as distractions, pointing to the recent attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure that followed Putin’s offer to mediate between Iran and Israel.
