Trump Says Expelling Russia from G7 Was a Mistake/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ At the G7 summit in Canada, President Trump called Russia’s 2014 expulsion a mistake while refusing to endorse a joint statement urging Israel and Iran to de-escalate. Leaders struggle to find consensus on trade, Ukraine, and Middle East diplomacy.
Trump Says Expelling Russia from G7 Mistake: Quick Looks
- Trump: Russia’s removal from G8 was “a big mistake”
- He refused to sign a G7 statement on Israel‑Iran de-escalation
- Canada dropped plans for a joint G7 communique this year
- Drafted declarations on migration, AI, critical minerals remain unsigned by U.S.
- Summit ties strained over trade, tariffs, China, and Ukraine
- Trump spoke with Putin, floated mediation role for Russia
- Europeans reject Russia’s inclusion, citing Ukraine invasion
- Zelenskiy and NATO leader to attend later summit session
- Focus on restoring unity, enforcing tougher sanctions on Moscow
- Elevated oil prices complicate G7 coordination on energy issues
Trump Says Expelling Russia from G7 Was a Mistake
Deep Look
Russia Back in G7?
President Trump argued that excluding Russia in 2014—after it annexed Crimea—was an error. “This was a big mistake,” he said alongside Canadian PM Mark Carney. Suggesting the move may have fueled global instability, Trump contended that having “your enemy at the table” could have prevented the current war.
No G7 Communique This Year
Canada has abandoned attempts to issue a unified communique following the breakdown in 2018 when Trump withdrew support mid-summit. Draft proposals on migration, artificial intelligence, and critical mineral supply chains remain unsigned by U.S. delegates, underscoring frictions within the group.
Diverging on Israel‑Iran Conflict
Trump declined to endorse a draft statement urging de-escalation between Israel and Iran, signaling a stark departure from allied diplomacy. British PM Keir Starmer emphasized that while a consensus to seek restraint exists, persuading Trump to publicly back such a stance remains challenging.
Putin in the Picture
Trump held a Saturday call with Vladimir Putin and suggested Putin might mediate between Israel and Iran. European leaders swiftly dismissed this, saying a country at war with Ukraine cannot credibly broker peace, and reaffirming sanctions as necessary.
Ukraine Top of Agenda
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and NATO head Mark Rutte will join Tuesday’s sessions. French President Emmanuel Macron urged the summit to push Trump toward imposing tougher Russian sanctions and reinvigorating support for Kyiv ahead of the NATO summit.
Global Trade & Tariffs
Economic discussions are centered on trade normalization, China policy, and oil pricing. Temporary oil spikes following recent Middle East tensions have complicated talk of a unified G7 price cap on Russian oil, especially with Trump signaling potential opt-outs.
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