US President Donald Trump's call for Russia to be readmitted to the Group of Eight industrial nations has been rejected. Italy's new Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte backed Trump.
US President Donald Trump's call for Russia to be readmitted to the Group of Eight industrial nations has been rejected. Italy's new Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte backed Trump.
"Russia should be in this meeting," Trump said. "Whether you like it or not, and it may not be politically correct, but we have a world to run. They should let Russia come back in."
However, the President of the European Council on Friday rejected a call by Trump and Conte on the first day of the annual summit.
"Let's leave seven as it is. It's a lucky number," Donald Tusk said shortly before the start of the G7 summit.
FYI: G7 or Group of Seven is a group consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Russia was expelled from the group four years ago as a consequence to its annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region. Since 2014 then, the G8 has become G7.
Tusk had earlier lamented that the "rules-based international order is being challenged" by current US President Donald Trump
While it was only the Italian prime minister who agreed with Trump, British PM Theres May recognised the importance of engaging with Russia but she said the country would have to make changed before readmission could be discussed.
"Russia made clear that it had no interest in behaving according to the rules of western democracies. There are no grounds whatsoever for bringing Russia with its current behavior back into the G-7", said Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland.
Meanwhile, Russia has said that the G-8 needs Russia much more than Russia needs the G-8. Konstantin Kosachev, chairman of the foreign relations committee in Russia's upper house of parliament has said that the country should only rejoin the group on its terms - "with sanctions removed and interests respected."
"Russia should be in this meeting," Trump said. "Whether you like it or not, and it may not be politically correct, but we have a world to run. They should let Russia come back in."
However, the President of the European Council on Friday rejected a call by Trump and Conte on the first day of the annual summit.
"Let's leave seven as it is. It's a lucky number," Donald Tusk said shortly before the start of the G7 summit.
FYI: G7 or Group of Seven is a group consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Russia was expelled from the group four years ago as a consequence to its annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region. Since 2014 then, the G8 has become G7.
Tusk had earlier lamented that the "rules-based international order is being challenged" by current US President Donald Trump
While it was only the Italian prime minister who agreed with Trump, British PM Theres May recognised the importance of engaging with Russia but she said the country would have to make changed before readmission could be discussed.
"Russia made clear that it had no interest in behaving according to the rules of western democracies. There are no grounds whatsoever for bringing Russia with its current behavior back into the G-7", said Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland.
Meanwhile, Russia has said that the G-8 needs Russia much more than Russia needs the G-8. Konstantin Kosachev, chairman of the foreign relations committee in Russia's upper house of parliament has said that the country should only rejoin the group on its terms - "with sanctions removed and interests respected."