US President Donald Trump on Monday said expelling Russia from the G8 was a “mistake,” suggesting the absence of Moscow complicated global diplomacy, and expressed openness to the idea of China joining the group.
US President Donald Trump has criticized the decision to remove Russia from the Group of Eight (G8), saying it may have contributed to current global tensions, and floated the possibility of inviting China to join the group of major economies.
“The G7 used to be the G8. Barack Obama and a person named Trudeau didn’t want to have Russia in. I would say that was a mistake — you wouldn’t have a war right now if Russia were in,” Trump said during a press briefing in Canada, referring to former US President Barack Obama and former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Russia was expelled from the G8 in 2014 after its annexation of Crimea, an act widely condemned by Western governments as a breach of international law. The G8 has since reverted to being the G7, comprising Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Trump claimed that removing Russian President Vladimir Putin from the global negotiating table only made discussions more difficult. “You spend so much time talking about Russia, and he's no longer at the table, so it makes life more complicated,” he said, adding that Putin was “very insulted” by the removal.
While Trump acknowledged that re-admitting Russia now may not be feasible — “too much water has gone over the dam,” he said — he doubled down on his view that the original decision was a strategic misstep.
In a notable shift, Trump also said he would not oppose the inclusion of China in the group. “It is not a bad idea,” he said. “I don’t mind that, if someone wants to suggest China coming in.”
Trump's comments come as world leaders grapple with growing geopolitical instability, including ongoing tensions between Russia and Western powers, and the shifting balance of global economic power involving China.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in Azerbaijan for talks with President Ilham Aliyev, holding meetings in Gabala during a working visit to the country.
Iran says no U.S. meeting is planned in Islamabad, despite Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arriving in the Pakistani capital. He is also set to visit Muscat and Moscow for regional consultations.
Two men were killed after the United States carried out a missile strike on a suspected drug-trafficking boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Friday (24 April), the military said.
The United States has issued an international warning accusing Chinese firms, including AI start-up DeepSeek, of allegedly stealing intellectual property from American artificial intelligence labs.
Two local trains collided head-on north of Copenhagen on Thursday (23 April), injuring 17 people, five of them critically, according to emergency services.
The U.S. military is redirecting at least three Iranian-flagged tankers after intercepting them in Asian waters near India, Malaysia and Sri Lanka, shipping and security sources said on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Tehran said U.S. breaches, blockades and threats are undermining “genuine negotiations.”
Diplomatic efforts to end the Iran war are intensifying, with the White House confirming that U.S. President Donald Trump will send special envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner to Islamabad for talks with Iran under Pakistani mediation.
Russian emergency services have contained a major fire at the Tuapse oil refinery on the Black Sea coast, local officials said on Thursday, ending a four-day effort after a Ukrainian drone strike.
Argentina has reiterated its interest in resuming talks with the United Kingdom over the Falkland Islands, a disputed archipelago in the South Atlantic, after reports that an internal Pentagon email suggested reviewing Washington’s support for the UK’s claim amid tensions over the Iran war.
Two men were killed after the United States carried out a missile strike on a suspected drug-trafficking boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Friday (24 April), the military said.
Argentina has reiterated its interest in resuming talks with the United Kingdom over the Falkland Islands, a disputed archipelago in the South Atlantic, after reports that an internal Pentagon email suggested reviewing Washington’s support for the UK’s claim amid tensions over the Iran war.
China has urged the European Union to take its concerns seriously over new cybersecurity and digital regulations, warning they could create difficulties for Chinese companies operating in Europe.
Russia and Ukraine have swapped prisoners of war, according to officials on both sides. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said 193 prisoners, including soldiers and border guards, had been returned from Russia, some injured and facing criminal charges.
Türkiye and the United Kingdom on Thursday signed a wide-ranging strategic partnership agreement to boost bilateral cooperation, especially in defence. The deal, signed in London, signals a “new era” in relations between the two NATO allies.
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