US President Donald Trump has said Russia should never have been removed from the Group of Eight (G8), arguing that keeping Moscow in the forum might have prevented the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022.
Speaking in an interview with Axios published on Friday, Trump reflected on his participation in the recent G7 summit in France and recalled attending previous meetings when Russia was still part of the group. He praised French President Emmanuel Macron for hosting the summit and said the forum had functioned better when it included Moscow.
"It used to be the G8. They should have kept the G8," Trump said. "You probably wouldn't have the war with Russia and Ukraine if they did." He also criticized former US President Barack Obama, claiming his administration backed Russia's exclusion because it did not want President Vladimir Putin participating in the group.
Russia was suspended from the then-G8 in March 2014 following Crimea's reunification with Russia after a referendum held in the peninsula. Western governments rejected the vote and condemned Moscow's actions, leading the bloc to continue as the G7, made up of the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan.
Trump has repeatedly advocated for Russia's return to the forum since his first term in office. He has previously described Moscow's removal as "a mistake" and even suggested that China could eventually be included in an expanded grouping. European leaders, however, have consistently opposed the proposal, arguing that Russia's readmission would require significant changes to its policy toward Ukraine.
Russian officials have shown little interest in rejoining the organization. Earlier this month, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said he was "relieved" that Russia was no longer part of the group, arguing that the remaining members were primarily focused on maintaining Western influence over global affairs.
The Kremlin has also questioned the G7's current importance. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said last year that the group had "lost much of its relevance" because its share of the global economy has declined. Instead, Russia has focused on strengthening cooperation through other international organizations, including the G20, BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which Moscow views as better reflecting the emerging multipolar world order.