Trump blames Barack Obama for Russia’s removal of G8

(MENAFN) US President Donald Trump has stated that excluding Russia from the G8 was a strategic error, arguing that its continued involvement might have averted the Ukraine conflict.

Speaking at the G7 Leaders’ Summit in Canada on Monday, Trump recalled that the bloc was previously known as the G8 until Russia’s suspension in 2014. That decision came after Moscow’s reunification with Crimea, which followed a referendum in the region post-Maidan uprising in Kiev. The group then reverted to the G7, composed of the US, UK, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, and the EU.

“The G7 used to be the G8,” Trump said during his meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. He blamed former US President Barack Obama and ex-Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for Russia’s removal, calling it “a mistake.”

“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,” he added.

Trump has previously proposed Russia’s return to the group, but the idea was rejected by other member states. In February, he reiterated that he would “love” to see Russia back.

In response, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov downplayed the G7’s importance, saying it no longer reflects the current global economic balance. He emphasized the relevance of the G20, which includes rising powers like China, India, and Brazil.

At the summit, Trump remarked, “You spend so much time talking about Russia, and [Russian President Vladimir Putin is] no longer at the table,” adding that this only “makes life more complicated.”

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