At the 2025 G7 summit, Donald Trump dived headfirst into what can only be described as a strange, public therapy session about his “separation anxiety” from Vladimir Putin.
In a brief media appearance alongside Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Trump lamented about how Russia used to be part of the G7—back when it was the “G8″—and how its exclusion was, in his esteemed opinion, a “mistake.” With the confidence of someone completely ignoring the historical record, Trump boldly blamed former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Barack Obama for kicking Russia out, despite the fact that Trudeau wasn’t even prime minister at the time. (Minor details, apparently.) For Trump, it was the reason for all of the world’s problems, including, somehow, the war in Ukraine.
Really cool that the president of the united states sees himself as Vladimir Putin's personal defender. Like he goes around advocating for Russia's interests. Normal stuff. Anyway, the "Russia Hoax" was totally all made up by the Libs. https://t.co/DEQ41CPfdb
— Centrism Fan Acct(@Wilson__Valdez) June 16, 2025
“If only Russia were still seated at the table,” Trump mused, “you wouldn’t have a war right now.” He then pivoted, as he often does, to the ultimate subject of his affections: himself. “And you wouldn’t have a war right now if Trump were president four years ago,” he added
This is hardly the first time Trump has waxed poetic about Putin. During his presidency, he consistently downplayed Russia’s aggression, from its interference in the 2016 U.S. election to its annexation of Crimea in 2014. In fact, his affinity for Putin has been so glaring that it often felt like watching a one-sided love story, with Trump constantly trying to prove his devotion while Putin played the aloof, calculating partner.
Russia wasn’t expelled from the G8 because Obama and Trudeau were feeling petty one day. It was a collective decision by all G7 nations—including Canada’s then-Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper—to boot Russia after its illegal annexation of Crimea. Trump’s argument that keeping Putin in the fold would have prevented the current war in Ukraine is not only ahistorical but dangerously naive. Putin has shown time and time again that he doesn’t play by the rules of diplomacy. His ambitions are imperial, rooted in a desire to restore Russia’s sphere of influence to its Soviet-era glory days. Inviting him back to the G7 wouldn’t have curbed those ambitions—it would have legitimized them.
Unfortunately for Trump, the world has moved on. The G7 is focused on urgent issues like climate change, global economic recovery, and supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression. While Trump may long for the days of the G8, it’s clear that the rest of the world has no interest in turning back the clock.
