US President Donald Trump began his time at the Group of Seven or G7 Summit on Monday by suggesting the names of two countries as part of the grouping.
Naming Russia and China, Donald Trump indicated that he would rather have the G7 become the G8 or possibly even the G9.
It is to be noted that Russia and China would be notably authoritarian governments in an organisation whose members are democracies.
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Donald Trump said it was a “very big mistake” to remove Russia in 2014 after it annexed Crimea, a move that precipitated Russia's wider invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The statements added more complexity regarding Trump's interests as he was set to meet on Tuesday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky about ending the brutal war started by the invasion.
“The G7 used to be the G8. Barack Obama and a person named Trudeau didn't want to have Russia in,” Trump said, referring to Justin Trudeau, who was elected Canadian prime minister the year after Russia was removed from the G8. Stephen Harper was the Canadian prime minister at the time.
{{/usCountry}}“The G7 used to be the G8. Barack Obama and a person named Trudeau didn't want to have Russia in,” Trump said, referring to Justin Trudeau, who was elected Canadian prime minister the year after Russia was removed from the G8. Stephen Harper was the Canadian prime minister at the time.
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“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,” Trump said. “They threw Russia out, which I claimed was a very big mistake, even though I wasn't in politics then.”
Trump added that Russia's leader, Vladimir Putin, is “no longer at the table, so it makes life more complicated.”
Asked by a reporter if China should also be added, the US president replied, “It's not a bad idea. I don't mind that if somebody wants to see just China coming in.”
Suggesting that it's important for world leaders to be able to speak with one another at summits, Trump said, “Putin speaks to me. He doesn't speak to anybody else," Trump said. "He doesn't want to talk because he was very insulted when he got thrown out of the G8, as I would be, as you would be, as anybody would be.”
Trump was speaking to reporters after meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who is hosting the summit in Kananaskis, along the Canadian Rocky Mountains.
(With inputs from agencies)