US President Donald Trump has stunned many with his latest statement – he expressed that he would welcome Russia's return to the "Group of Seven" (G7), from which it was expelled due to its aggression against Ukraine. Reported by TSN. This information is provided by Kontakty.UA.
The agencies AFP and Reuters are also reporting this news.
While speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump labeled the decision to exclude Russia from the G7 as a "mistake."
"I would like to see them back. I think it was a mistake to throw them out. Look, it’s not about whether you like Russia or not. It was G8," he stated.
The US president also believes that Putin "would also like to come back" to the "Group of Seven."
"Obama and a couple of others made a mistake, and they threw Russia out. It’s quite possible that if it were still G8, you wouldn’t have a problem with Ukraine," the White House leader opined.
Canada, which holds the G7 presidency this year, has not commented on Trump's remarks.
Additionally, when asked if Ukraine would have a seat at the negotiating table, Trump answered affirmatively.
The "Group of Seven" is an informal international club that includes the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Canada, France, Japan, and the United States. When Russia participated in the group from 1997 to 2014, it was referred to as the "Group of Eight" (G8). Russia was expelled from the G7 following the illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014.
Trump has repeatedly stated that Russia should be allowed to rejoin the G7. During his first presidency, he attempted multiple times to bring Russia back into the "Group of Seven," but other countries resisted this move.
Recall that US President Donald Trump announced that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed to start negotiations on a ceasefire in Ukraine.