Donald Trump has suggested the war in Ukraine wouldn’t have started if Russia was still a part of the G7.
Back in 2014, Russia was expelled from the group of the world’s strongest powers, when it was the G8 at the time. This was after the country’s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine.
Since then, the group has been the G7. But at this year’s forum in Canada, Trump has suggested it was an error to remove Vladimir Putin from the annual summit.
Related: ‘It is a flop’: Sparse crowds undermine Trump’s military parade
Speaking alongside Canadian prime minister Mark Carney, Trump told reporters: “The G7 used to be the G8. Barack Obama and a person named Trudeau didn’t want to have Russia in, and I would say that was a mistake, because I think you wouldn’t have a war right now if you had Russia in.”
After claiming the war in Ukraine also wouldn’t have started had he been president four years ago, Trump continued: “They threw Russia out [in 2014], which I claimed was a very big mistake, even though I wasn’t in politics then, I was very loud about it.
Turning to Carney, he added: “You spend so much time talking about Russia and he’s no longer at the table, so it makes things more complicated, you wouldn’t have had the war.”
This year’s G7 is taking place in the Rocky Mountains of Canada, and will see leaders discuss security amid escalating tensions in the Middle East. The crisis in Gaza and conflict Ukraine are expected to dominate discussions as well, along with talks on health, energy and trade.