'Wouldn’t be facing a war today...': Trump calls Russia's G8 ouster a 'serious mistake' in G7 summit

At the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Canada, US President Donald Trump reignited a long-standing debate by calling Russia’s exclusion from the G8 a strategic blunder. The remark, made during a conversation with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, cast a shadow over the ongoing talks and revisited tensions surrounding the 2014 decision to remove Russia following its annexation of Crimea.

Criticizing former President Barack Obama and ex-Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for their roles in Russia’s removal from the G8, Trump stated, “The G7 used to be the G8. About nine years ago, Russia was excluded, something I believe was a serious mistake. Back then, leaders like Barack Obama and Justin Trudeau didn’t want Russia involved, but had Russia remained at the table, perhaps we wouldn’t be facing a war today. If I was the president 4 years ago, we would not have a war right now..."

Trump maintained that the ongoing war in Ukraine might have been prevented if he had remained in office, reiterating a theme from his prior comments. He also voiced optimism that the G7 summit would bring positive developments, particularly in the realm of trade with Canada.

Russia was expelled from the Group of Eight in 2014 after its illegal annexation of Crimea and its role in the conflict in eastern Ukraine. Since then, the G7 has functioned without Russia’s participation.

This is not the first time Trump has challenged the exclusion. In February 2025, he described it as a “mistake” and said he would welcome Russia’s return — a stance that drew criticism in Germany. During his first presidential term, Trump made repeated attempts to bring Russia back into the G7, but met resistance, especially from European members.

In 2019, tensions over this issue resurfaced during the G7 summit in France, where Trump reportedly clashed with other leaders. Russia responded at the time by stating it had no intention of rejoining the bloc.

Commenting on Trump’s latest remarks, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot reaffirmed that it remains “unthinkable” for Russia to return to the G7. Similarly, Canada’s ambassador to Ukraine, Natalka Tsmots, dismissed the idea outright.