Donald Trump urges Russia's return to the G8

President Donald Trump said at an Axios interview before the G7 summit in France that Russia should be readmitted to the G8, arguing that keeping Moscow in the group might have prevented the escalation of the war in Ukraine. He praised French President Emmanuel Macron for his hospitality at the Versailles dinner and recalled his participation in many previous G7 meetings.

Trump also suggested that China could be invited to join the club. European leaders have consistently rejected the idea, stating that Russia could only be considered for return if it reverses its policy toward Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov earlier said he felt “relieved” when Russia left the group, while Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the G7 as losing relevance. Despite its exclusion, Moscow continues to engage in other multilateral forums such as the G20, BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.