Trump Pushes G7 Expansion to Include Russia and China \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ At the G7 summit, President Trump proposed expanding the group to include Russia and possibly China. He criticized Russia’s 2014 expulsion, claiming its presence could have prevented war in Ukraine. Trump’s comments come ahead of a key meeting with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy.
Quick Looks
- G7 Remarks: Trump suggested turning the G7 into the G8 or even G9 by re-including Russia and possibly China.
- Russia’s Removal: He criticized Russia’s 2014 expulsion following its annexation of Crimea as a “very big mistake.”
- Ukraine Conflict: Trump claimed the war in Ukraine might not have happened if Russia had remained in the G8—or if he were president.
- China’s Inclusion: When asked, Trump said adding China “is not a bad idea.”
- Upcoming Talks: Trump is scheduled to meet with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy to discuss ending the war.
- Canadian Host: Trump made his comments after a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who praised U.S. leadership.
Deep Look
At the start of the 2025 G7 summit in Kananaskis, Canada, President Donald Trump reignited global debate by calling for Russia—and potentially China—to be invited into what has historically been an exclusive club of the world’s leading democratic economies. Trump’s provocative proposal came during a press briefing on Monday and marked one of the most contentious statements made at the summit so far.
“The G7 used to be the G8,” Trump said. “Barack Obama and a person named Trudeau didn’t want to have Russia in.” Trump was referring to the 2014 decision to expel Russia following its illegal annexation of Crimea, although it was then-Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, not Justin Trudeau, who was involved in the decision. The removal was intended as a show of unity among Western democracies against Russian aggression. Since then, Russia has grown increasingly isolated from Western forums while deepening ties with China and other authoritarian states.
Trump criticized that 2014 decision as a “very big mistake,” suggesting that Russia’s exclusion may have exacerbated geopolitical tensions rather than resolving them. “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 declared. Trump further suggested that Vladimir Putin, “no longer at the table,” feels deeply insulted and disengaged from the diplomatic process, implying that his administration could better manage or even reverse the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The timing of Trump’s remarks is especially significant. He is scheduled to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the summit to discuss the brutal and prolonged war sparked by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Trump’s claim that Putin might have acted differently had he remained part of the G8 introduces a provocative angle ahead of those discussions and raises fresh questions about how the U.S. might shift its Ukraine policy should Trump win re-election.
More controversially, Trump also entertained the idea of including China in the expanded bloc. When asked by a reporter, Trump responded, “It’s not a bad idea. I don’t mind that if somebody wants to see just China coming in.” The suggestion challenges a foundational principle of the G7—that it is a coalition of like-minded, democratic nations committed to liberal governance, human rights, and open-market economics. China, under President Xi Jinping, has moved in the opposite direction, tightening state control, suppressing dissent in Hong Kong and Xinjiang, and engaging in aggressive trade and military policies.
Trump, however, has long favored pragmatic diplomacy with strongmen and authoritarian leaders. His approach to international relations—centered on personal rapport, deal-making, and national self-interest—has consistently clashed with the more consensus-driven, institutionalist ethos of traditional G7 diplomacy. His belief that communication with adversaries is more productive than exclusion underpins this latest proposal. “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.”
The reaction among G7 leaders has been cautious but skeptical. The group, which includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, was formed to coordinate global economic policy and later expanded its role to address security, climate change, and development. The G7 does consult with non-member nations on occasion, but full membership is seen as a seal of shared democratic values. Expanding the bloc to include autocratic states like Russia and China could fundamentally alter its character and credibility.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who is hosting this year’s summit, tried to strike a diplomatic tone during his public appearance with Trump. “The G7 is nothing without U.S. leadership,” Carney said, an olive branch aimed at keeping Washington engaged amid tense global conditions. Behind closed doors, however, sources suggest other leaders are preparing to push back against Trump’s suggestion, particularly those from Europe, who remain committed to sanctions against Russia and wary of China’s expanding global influence.
This year’s summit is already navigating a minefield of complex issues: ongoing inflation, supply chain disruptions, the Israel-Iran conflict, climate commitments, and digital regulation. Trump’s comments on G7 expansion have injected a new layer of controversy, potentially shifting the focus of the summit and revealing deeper ideological divides within the group.
Analysts argue that Trump’s proposal is more than diplomatic posturing—it reflects a worldview that values strategic alliances based on realpolitik rather than ideology. His transactional approach to global leadership prioritizes engagement with powerful nations regardless of their governance models. Critics warn that such inclusivity, without firm principles, could legitimize authoritarian regimes and erode the influence of liberal democratic institutions on the world stage.
As the summit progresses, Trump’s comments are expected to dominate headlines and private discussions alike. Whether they lead to substantive policy shifts or remain rhetorical flourishes may depend on the outcome of his meeting with Zelenskyy and how firmly other G7 leaders respond. What is certain is that the suggestion of turning the G7 into a G8 or G9—featuring Russia and China—has reignited the debate over what kind of global order the West should champion in the 21st century.
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