G7 leaders struggle for unity: Trump warns kicking Russia out was a mistake and sparked Putin's invasion of Ukraine - as defiant Starmer says he is 'happy with the make-up' of the group

Daily Mail​

5 hours ago

Tensions erupted at the G7 summit on Monday after Donald Trump sensationally claimed that expelling Russia from the group in 2014 was a 'big mistake' and even blamed it for Vladimir Putin 's invasion of Ukraine.
As leaders from the world's most powerful democracies gathered in the picturesque Canadian Rockies, the former U.S. president dropped a bombshell by saying: 'Putin speaks to me. He doesn't speak to anybody else.'
In a show of defiance, Sir Keir Starmer stood firm on the group's current composition, with Downing Street stating the Prime Minister was 'happy with the make-up of it,' despite Trump's remarks causing visible friction among world leaders.
Asked whether the Labour leader agreed with Trump's eyebrow-raising comments, a Number 10 spokesperson diplomatically said: 'I think obviously those comments are a matter for the US.'
'The Prime Minister goes ahead with the G7 and is happy with the make-up of it,' they added.
The exchange came as the Group of Seven — the UK, US, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the EU — met in the luxury resort of Kananaskis, amid deepening global crises in both Ukraine and the Middle East.
Appearing alongside Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Trump reignited controversy by suggesting that Russia's ousting from the then-Group of Eight over its annexation of Crimea had only fuelled further aggression.
'This was a big mistake,' Trump said of the 2014 decision: 'I can tell you that [Putin] basically doesn't even speak to the people that threw him out, and I agree with him.'
He went even further, suggesting Russia wouldn't have launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 had Putin not been booted from the group.
The former president's comments have cast a shadow over Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's upcoming meeting with G7 leaders, where he is expected to push for tougher sanctions against Moscow and fresh arms deals with the West.
Zelensky said he would press Trump directly about securing more weapons for his war-torn country.
Meanwhile, Trump also revealed he had recently spoken with Putin, even floating the idea that the Russian strongman could help mediate in the spiralling Israel-Iran conflict.
French President Emmanuel Macron quickly shot down the idea, saying: 'Moscow could not be a negotiator because it had started an illegal war against Ukraine.'
One European diplomat said Trump's remarks showed 'Russia was very much on U.S. minds' but stopped short of predicting any shift in Washington's stance.
As the summit continues, leaders hope to use face time with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and next week's NATO meeting to steer Trump toward tougher action against the Kremlin.
'The G7 should have the objective for us to converge again... in my view it's a question of seeing whether President Trump is ready to put forward much tougher sanctions on Russia,' Macron added.
With conflict between Israel and Iran also dominating talks, officials privately admitted that Trump is unlikely to endorse a joint G7 statement calling for de-escalation — despite Canada and European nations pushing for diplomatic unity.
A senior European official insisted it was 'too early to speculate' on the outcome, though behind the scenes many worry Trump's unpredictable approach could derail the summit's fragile consensus.
To avoid a repeat of the 2018 debacle — when Trump pulled U.S. support for a G7 communique after leaving the Quebec summit — Canada has reportedly scrapped plans for a final joint statement altogether.
Multiple draft documents on issues ranging from artificial intelligence to critical minerals and migration remain unsigned by the U.S., sources told Reuters, casting doubt on whether any unified message will emerge from the summit at all.
'Europeans are on the same page,' one diplomat noted. 'But without Trump, it is unclear if there will be any declarations.'
As leaders huddle in high-stakes talks on global trade, China, and spiralling oil prices, officials are bracing for further divisions — particularly over a proposed move to lower the G7 price cap on Russian oil.
That plan, meant to choke Moscow's war chest, is now under threat amid Trump's resistance and a temporary oil price spike following Israeli airstrikes on Iran last week.
Still, British PM Keir Starmer struck a hopeful tone, telling reporters: 'I do think there's a consensus for de-escalation. Obviously, what we need to do today is to bring that together and to be clear about how it is to be brought about.'