Canada stands firm against Russia's return to G7 group
There is no possibility that Canada will allow Russia to be present at the meeting of the most developed democratic countries in the world, the G7 group, scheduled for June, Canada's Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly has informed. Donald Trump, however, supports the idea of Russia being part of this group.
Joly was asked during a teleconference to comment on US President Donald Trump's recent statement. Last week, Trump remarked that it was a mistake to have excluded Russia from the then G8 group in 2014, following the annexation of Crimea. Joly responded that "no way this will happen."
Canada has chaired the G7 from 1st January to the end of the year. The G7 summit is set to take place on 15th-17th June in Kananaskis, Alberta. The group comprises democratic nations with the most advanced economies, including the USA, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Canada. Representatives of the EU also attend G7 summits, such as the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission.
Canada wants to strengthen cooperation with the EU
Joly has recently conducted talks in France, Germany, and Belgium, with the main aims, as reported by the media, being to boost Canada's trade with EU countries, safeguard jobs, and counteract American tariffs. Discussions also covered the future security of Canada and the EU, closer collaboration on defence matters, and intelligence sharing.
Joly described her conversations with European politicians as a "wake-up call" for them. "It was necessary for me to be in Europe to tell them exactly what's going on," Joly said regarding the impact of the American president's decision on the US itself and the world. "In that context, it was a wake-up call for Europeans to hear what we're going through," Joly added.
