Washington [US], June 17 (ANI): Former US President Donald Trump created an awkward moment during the G7 Summit by publicly criticizing Canada’s past decision to support Russia’s expulsion from the group—while Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stood next to him. Trump’s remarks reignited controversy over the 2014 decision to suspend Russia following its annexation of Crimea.
In a widely circulated post by Marc Nixon on X, Trump stated that removing Russia from the G7 (then G8) was a “very big mistake,” claiming it unnecessarily complicated global diplomacy and “insulted” Russian President Vladimir Putin. Without prompting and with Carney by his side, Trump remarked, “The G7 used to be the G8 until Barack Obama and a person named Trudeau didn’t want to have Russia in.”
Trump reiterated his belief that had Russia remained part of the G8—and had he been President four years ago—the current war in Ukraine might have been avoided. “You have your enemy at the table. I don’t even consider him an enemy at that time,” he said, arguing that excluding Russia from talks exacerbated global tensions.
Continuing his critique, Trump said, “They threw Russia out, which I claimed was a very big mistake, even though I wasn’t in politics then. I was very loud about it. It was a mistake because you spend so much time talking about Russia, and he’s no longer at the table.”
He asserted that “Russia should never have been kicked out of G7” and dismissed Carney’s economic proposals by saying, “They’re good, but mine are better. We’ll see what we can do.”
Carney stood silently throughout the remarks, despite his government’s prior criticism of Trump’s pro-Russia stance. Trump misattributed the 2014 decision to Trudeau, despite the fact that Trudeau was not yet Prime Minister at the time. Canada was led by then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper of the Conservative Party, while Trudeau had only recently become leader of the Liberal Party.
Trump doubled down on his point, saying, “Putin speaks to me. He doesn’t speak to anybody else. He doesn’t want to talk.” He described Putin as “very insulted” by his removal from the group and blamed Trudeau and Obama for convincing other members to exclude Russia. “He doesn’t even speak to the people that threw him out. And I agree with him,” Trump concluded.
Turning to global leadership, Trump criticized the G7’s structure, saying it lacked essential players like China. “Why not have China at the G8? The biggest economy in the world after the United States? Well, it’s not a bad idea,” he added, suggesting the group should expand to include more influential nations.
On trade, Trump attempted to ease tensions with Carney, saying, “We’ve developed a very good relationship. We’re going to be talking about trade and many other things.” He expressed optimism about reaching a deal, particularly regarding Canadian steel, aluminum, and auto tariffs. Trump imposed 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Canada, sparking retaliatory measures from Ottawa.
When comparing trade approaches, Trump explained, “I’m a tariff person. It’s simple, it’s easy, it’s precise. Mark has a more complex idea, but also very good. We’re going to look at both and see what we come out with.”
On Iran and the Middle East, Trump emphasized his hardline stance, saying, “They’d like to talk, but they should have done that before. They have to make a deal. It’s painful for both parties, but I’d say Iran is not winning this war.” He also reinforced American support for Israel, adding, “We’ve always supported Israel. And Israel is doing very well right now.”
European diplomats have expressed concern about Trump’s unorthodox approach to diplomacy, especially regarding Russia and global trade. His rhetoric at the G7 underlined the difficulty many US allies face in navigating his confrontational style.
The G7, or Group of Seven, is an informal alliance of the world’s wealthiest democracies. Established in 1975, it includes the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan. The European Union also participates. Leaders of member nations convene annually to discuss economic, environmental, and geopolitical challenges. This is the seventh time Canada has hosted the summit. (ANI)
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