Kremlin: G8 irrelevant to Russia, economic leadership lies elsewhere

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has reiterated Russia's longstanding position that the G8 format is no longer relevant to the country, highlighting a shift in the global economic landscape. 

“We have been saying for many years that this format is not of interest to us because we no longer consider it relevant in terms of seeking a leading role,” Peskov said, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

"The centre of economic development has shifted elsewhere, and other countries have become the lawmakers of economic processes,” he added. According to Peskov, Russia now finds the G20 format more appealing, as it reflects the new dynamics of global economic cooperation.

Russia was expelled from the G8 in 2014 following the annexation of Crimea, leading to the group's transformation into the G7. Western countries cited Russia’s actions as a violation of international law, prompting the exclusion. The remaining G7 members included the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Canada, France, Japan, and the United States.

The issue of Russia's exclusion resurfaced in 2020 when then-President Donald Trump voiced support for removing Russia from the G8. Trump argued that Moscow had effectively outmanoeuvred President Barack Obama on foreign policy issues, which he believed demonstrated American weakness in its dealings with Russia. “In those years, America showed weakness, especially in its relations with Russia,” Trump commented.

However, Trump later reversed his stance in February 2025, calling Russia's exclusion from the G8 a mistake and expressing interest in having Russia rejoin the group. “The issue is not whether you like Russia or not. The issue is the G8,” Trump said, stressing that the broader issue was the future of the group itself, not personal preferences toward Russia.

Despite Trump's call for reintegration, other G7 members have rejected the idea. Former German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock then firmly stated that cooperation with Russia within the G7 framework is currently impossible. She specified that if Russia were to change its course and pursue peace, there might be room for cooperation. “There will be no cooperation with Russia within the G7 as long as Moscow’s current course remains,” Baerbock said during the Munich Security Conference.

Similarly, both Canada and the United Kingdom have voiced opposition to Russia’s return, arguing that reintegrating the country would contradict the core values of the G7 and erode trust in the group’s credibility.

By Tamilla Hasanova