Trump Links Ukraine War to Russia’s Expulsion from G8

Former President Donald Trump asserts that the war in Ukraine stems from the decision to exclude Russia from the G8. “I have attended many G7 summits, formerly known as the ‘Big Eight.’ They should have maintained that format. If they had, you probably wouldn’t have had a war between Russia and Ukraine,” Trump stated.

Trump criticized former President Barack Obama, claiming that it was Obama’s reluctance to include Putin that set the stage for current tensions. According to Trump, other leaders also opposed the involvement of what he termed the illegitimate Russian president.

“They just wanted to kick Putin out the door,” Trump emphasized, expressing his belief that maintaining Russia’s membership would have been more beneficial.

Background

• The G7 currently includes the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, and Japan. Russia was part of the group known as the ‘Big Eight’ since 1997 but was excluded in March 2014 following its annexation of Crimea.
• On February 20, 2025, reports indicated that the U.S. opposed labeling Russia as an aggressor in the G7 communiqué marking the third anniversary of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
• On February 25, German Finance Minister Jörg Kukies stated that Russia would not be readmitted to the G7.