President Donald Trump on Tuesday condemned the ejection of Russia from the Group of Eight, G8, now known as the G7.
The organisation comprises seven highly industrialized nations: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Russia was excluded from the G8 in 2014 following its annexation of Crimea, with the leaders then choosing to hold their summit in Brussels instead of Moscow.
Speaking at the first meeting of the FIFA Word Cup Task Force, Trump blamed former President Barack Obama and ex-Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for Russia’s ouster from G8.
“I don’t think I was really in politics at that point but I know President Obama didn’t like it and they voted Russia out,” he said.
Trump called the expulsion “a foolish decision,” saying Russia might not have started the “ridiculous war” in Ukraine if seven other leaders were “hammering him (President Vladimir Putin) and saying let’s not do this.”
“It (G8) was headed by Trudeau (who assumed office in November 2015) and Obama,” he stressed. “They were the ones that really fought hard to get Russia out.
“They threw them out. Because of that, maybe, millions of people are dying. The numbers are far greater than you think.”
Asked to comment on the possibility of Russia returning to the group, Trump replied: “No, I think it’s not good timing now.”
