During the 2025 G7 summit held in Kananaskis, Alberta, U.S. President Donald Trump surprised many world leaders by suggesting a big change: turning the Group of Seven (G7) into the Group of Eight (G8) or even Group of Nine (G9). He proposed including Russia again and possibly even adding China—two countries known for their authoritarian governments. This sparked intense discussion since G7 is traditionally a group of democratic nations.
Speaking to the press after a meeting with Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Mr. Trump questioned why Russia was ever removed from the G8 in the first place. Russia was pushed out of the group in 2014 after it forcefully took over Crimea from Ukraine. Trump claimed removing Russia was a mistake and blamed former U.S. President Barack Obama and Canadian leader Justin Trudeau for the decision. However, he got the facts slightly wrong, as Stephen Harper was the Canadian Prime Minister at that time.
“The G7 used to be the G8,” Trump reminded reporters. “Then Obama and someone named Trudeau didn’t want Russia in. I think if Russia had stayed, there wouldn’t be a war right now.”
Trump referred to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, which began with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. He also added that if he had been president back then, the war wouldn’t have happened. “They threw Russia out, which I thought was a big mistake—even though I wasn’t in politics at the time,” he said.
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President Trump didn’t stop at Russia. When asked if China should also be invited to the G7, he said he didn’t mind the idea. “It’s not a bad idea,” Trump said. “If someone wants China in, I don’t mind.” This comment added more fuel to the debate. China, like Russia, is not a democratic country and has a very different political system from the current G7 members.
Still, Trump emphasized the importance of keeping communication open between world leaders, especially during global conflicts. “Leaders need to be able to speak to one another,” he said. “Putin speaks to me. He doesn’t speak to anyone else. He was insulted when he got kicked out of the G8.”
Trump suggested that by including Russia and China, the group could avoid misunderstandings and reduce conflicts. However, many experts believe that adding countries with authoritarian governments could change the purpose and values of the G7. The current members—Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States—are all democracies that work together on economic and political matters. Including nations like China and Russia would be a major shift.
Reactions and Tensions at the Summit
The G7 summit this year is taking place while many global issues are unfolding. The United States has recently placed heavy tariffs on goods from many countries. At the same time, leaders at the summit are trying to deal with growing tensions between Israel and Iran over Iran’s nuclear program.
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During the summit, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, the host of the event, tried to maintain harmony. While Trump’s comments caused a stir, Carney appeared to praise the U.S. President’s role in international politics. “The G7 is nothing without U.S. leadership,” Carney said.
Still, Trump’s suggestion to bring back Russia and even add China caused serious debate. Critics argue that Russia’s removal was due to its illegal actions in Ukraine and that bringing it back without any changes could send the wrong message. Others worry that inviting China—given its own conflicts with countries like the U.S., Taiwan, and those in the South China Sea—could weaken the G7’s stance on democracy and human rights.
Trump, however, believes that open dialogue is better than isolation. He argued that bringing leaders like Vladimir Putin back to the table makes diplomacy easier. “It makes life more complicated when Putin’s not there,” Trump said.
As the summit continues, all eyes are on Trump’s upcoming meeting with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. They are expected to talk about ways to end the war between Ukraine and Russia—a conflict that has already taken thousands of lives.
