(Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump said Russia should be allowed back into the G-8 bloc as he left the White House Friday for 24 hours of trade talks with allies where he intends to press his case that the U.S. loses through poor economic deals negotiated by his predecessors.
“Russia should be in this meeting,” Trump told reporters in Washington. “Why are we having a meeting without Russia being in the meeting."
“Whether you like it or not, and it may not be politically correct, but we have a world to run, and in the G-7 which used to be the G-8, they threw Russia out,” he said. “They should let Russia come back in because we should have Russia at the negotiating table.”
Trump’s comments came he prepared to leave for the G-7 gathering in Canada, where he will miss at least some of the summit’s second day. There’d been speculation Trump would cancel his appearance at the meeting amid widespread criticism from allies over steel and aluminum tariffs imposed by the U.S. in recent weeks. Instead, he looks set to fire back with his America First mantra.
"Looking forward to straightening out unfair Trade Deals with the G-7 countries. If it doesn’t happen, we come out even better!” the president wrote on Twitter, hours before he’s due to arrive in Quebec. “I am heading for Canada and the G-7 for talks that will mostly center on the long time unfair trade practiced against the United States.”
The comments on Russia may further inflame tensions with other leaders, including British Prime Minister Theresa May. Britain’s relations with Russia are at their worst since the Cold War, following the poisoning of former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the English town of Salisbury this year. After years in which Russia’s wealthy were invited to base themselves in London without questions being asked about how they made their money, the Home Office is reviewing visas.
Russia joined the G-7 in 1998. After its annexation of Crimea, the other seven members shrunk the bloc and effectively kicked Russia out until further notice, starting with a summit in 2014.
The issue of tariffs however may loom largest over Friday’s talks. France’s Emmanuel Macron has warned he won’t sign a joint statement unless Trump makes concessions on trade. “The American President may not mind being isolated, but neither do we mind signing a 6 country agreement if need be,” he tweeted.
The G-7 summit is shaping up to be the most acrimonious in years, putting pressure on Justin Trudeau as host to bridge a divide between Trump and Europe, with Japan’s Shinzo Abe poised to fall somewhere in the middle. Trump will leave the summit early to attend a summit in Singapore with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Tuesday.