Trump: The exclusion of Russia from the G8 was a mistake — there would have been no war with Ukraine

Russia's exclusion from the G8 format after 2014 was a "mistake". This was announced today, June 17, by US President Donald Trump at a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ABC TV channel reports.

According to him, if Russia had remained in the G8, "there might not have been a war in Ukraine." At the same time, the absence of Russia at the negotiating table "complicates the situation."

Trump recalled that the G7 leaders in April of this year "talked about Russia 90% of the time at their meetings," although they excluded it from the G8. It was a stupid act, the American leader stressed.

Trump also added that the United States would like to conclude with Russia and The PRC has an agreement on the reduction of nuclear arsenals.

As EADaily reported, in December 2025, during an interview with India Today, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia was not going to return to the G8. Prior to that, he also commented on the possibility of Russia's return to the G8, explaining that he had no idea how Moscow would attend G8 meetings in the current situation.