Pompeo: Trump Believes Russia Participating in Geostrategic Meetings Inevitable

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – US President Donald Trump believes that Russia's participation in geostrategic meetings such as the G7 is unavoidable, US Sectary of State Mike Pompeo said during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on Wednesday.

"The president deeply believes that having Russia be part of these important geostrategic conversations is inevitable," Pompeo said when asked if Moscow should rejoin organizations such as the G7 summit.

Before heading to the G7 summit in Canada earlier this month, Trump told reporters that Russia should return to the group of highly industrialized countries.

Earlier, Donald Trump said in an interview that considering G7 members discussed issues related to Moscow about 25 percent of the time at the recent summit, Russia should be readmitted to it.

The G7 currently includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. The group used to be called the G8 before Russia's membership was suspended in 2014 after the outbreak of the Ukrainian crisis.

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In response to Trump's comments, the Kremlin said Moscow was focused on other formats of negotiations.