Trump Calls for Russia Return to G7 at Canada Summit

At the 2025 G7 summit in Canada, President Donald Trump called for Russia to be readmitted to the group, reverting it to the former G8 format. He argued that excluding Russia in 2014, a decision made in response to its annexation of Crimea, was a mistake that contributed to the ongoing war with Ukraine, suggesting the conflict might have been avoided if Russia had remained involved. Trump also mentioned that Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks only to him because of the insult of being excluded, and expressed openness to including China in the group as well. These views sparked controversy and highlighted his departure from the prevailing Western consensus, raising concerns among U.S. allies about the direction of American foreign policy. Although no formal discussion on Russia's re-admission was on the agenda, Trump's remarks dominated the summit discourse, prompting the G7 chair to intervene to limit further questioning on the topic. The summit also included discussions with leaders of nonmember countries, including Ukraine, on the ongoing conflict and global issues.