UK ready to use veto to block Russia’s readmission to G7 after Trump said he wanted to invite Putin
The UK will oppose any proposal to readmit Russia to the G7, Downing Street has said, after US President Donald Trump floated an expansion of the group of major international powers.
But Number 10 said it was a matter for Mr Trump, as this year’s host, if he wants to invite president Vladimir Putin to the gathering as a guest.
President Trump said on Saturday that he planned to postpone the annual summit of world leaders until September and he wanted to invite Russia, alongside South Korea, Australia and India, as part of an alliance to discuss future relations with China.
The US president has previously faced resistance from other G7 members including the UK - all of whom hold vetos on proposed changes to the membership of the body - to the readmission of Russia, which was expelled from what was then the G8 in 2014 over its illegal annexation of Crimea.
But he described September’s gathering - postponed from next week due to coronavirus - as potentially a “G10 or G11”, raising the prospect of a formal expansion of membership.
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