Jun 1, 2020 - World

Kremlin says Trump discussed inviting Russia to G7 in call with Putin

Fadel Allassan

Trump and Putin. — President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin at their bilateral meeting at the G20 Osaka Summit 2019, in Osaka, Japan in 2019. Photo: Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images

President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke on Monday about Trump's plans to expand September's G7 meeting in Washington to include Russia, according to the Russian government's readout of the call.

The big picture: The phone call between the two leaders, which the Kremlin says was initiated by Trump, comes amid six consecutive days of mass unrest in the U.S. over police brutality and racial inequality. The White House confirmed the call took place and said a readout was forthcoming.

Trump told Putin he plans to invite Russia, Australia, India and South Korea to the summit, per the Kremlin.
The two leaders also discussed their nation's responses to the coronavirus and a recent OPEC+ deal. Putin also congratulated Trump on the launch of the Crew Dragon spacecraft, per the Kremlin.

Context: Russia was disinvited from attending the annual meeting of the eight largest advanced economies in the world in 2014 for annexing Crimea.

A spokesperson for U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Monday that while it's up to the U.S. as this year's host to determine which countries are invited, the U.K. would veto any attempt to readmit Russia to the group.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also said Monday that Russia would not be welcome in the group as long as Moscow continues to flout international law.

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Kremlin says Trump discussed inviting Russia to G7 in call with Putin

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