Jörg Kukis. Photo: EPA/UPG
Russia will not be reinstated to the Group of Seven (G7), despite US President Donald Trump’s call, German Finance Minister Jörg Kukis said in an interview with Reuters.
G7 maintains unity against Russia
According to Koukis, the G7’s position on the war waged by Russia remains unchanged, especially on the third anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The minister stressed that Trump’s initiative has no chance of unanimous approval among the group’s members.
Global economic challenges and the threat of a trade war
Koukis will attend the G20 finance ministers’ meeting in Cape Town to discuss the state of the global economy. He emphasised the importance of maintaining economic growth and avoiding a trade war between the US and Europe due to potential tariffs that could affect EU countries.
Russia’s $300 billion: will it be used to rebuild Ukraine?
G7 countries are also considering using $300 billion of frozen Russian assets to rebuild Ukraine. However, according to Kukis, the negotiations are still at an early stage.
Trump goes against the grain with the G7
Donald Trump has repeatedly stated his desire to bring Russia back into the G7, calling its exclusion in 2014 a “mistake”. At the same time, his administration is demonstrating an increasingly cautious approach to supporting Ukraine.
The split between the US and its allies
Washington has avoided using the term “Russian aggression” in the G7 joint statement and voted against the latest UN resolution condemning Russia’s invasion. This caused dissatisfaction among European allies, including Canada, which clearly expressed its disagreement.
Despite the change in the US position, European countries remain united in their support for Ukraine, and Russia’s return to the G7 is not yet on the agenda.
