"The President will be jetting back to Washington DC to deal with the ongoing crisis in the Middle East
...
The announcement is also a brutal snub to Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who was set to meet the US president on Tuesday, just a day after he suggested Russia should be let back into the annual gathering." (Express: 17 June 2025) (my emphasis)
Christian Calgie further reports that,
- Seven years ago, Donald Trump also walked out of the G7 summit - also in Canada - as he had a furious row with the then-Canadian premier Justin Trudeau.
- Earlier today the President also called for both Russia and China to be admitted to the G7, after Russia was expelled following the invasion of Crimea in 2014. (ibid Christian Calgie) CNN : 16 June 2025: YouTube
Trump confirmed his "good" relation with Putin by proclaiming at the G7 meeting,
"Russia was a member of the Group of Eight (G8) until 2014 when the country was expelled over the Russian annexation of Crimea.
"... Mr Trump claimed Russia wasn't an enemy at that time, but was expelled because Barack Obama and Justin Trudeau wanted Russia out.
He said: "I think you wouldn't have a war right now if you had Russia in. And you wouldn't have a war right now if Trump were president four years ago."
…
"They threw Russia out, which I claimed [should be TRUTH checked] was a very big mistake. Even though I wasn't in politics then, I was very loud about it, " Trump said.
"It was a mistake in that you spend so much time talking about Russia, and he's no longer at the table, so it makes life more complicated."
Mr Trump added that President Putin was "very insulted" when he was expelled, and "not a happy person about it". (Ella Bennett: LBC: 16 June 2025)
As I reported in my last blog entry; in an HOUR long call between Trump and Putin on 14 June 2025, Steve Rosenberg reported that,
"What’s more, according to the Kremlin, the two leaders expressed “satisfaction” with their personal relationship.
...
Russia [Putin] may well have concluded that good working relations with the Trump administration – plus Moscow’s offer to mediate in the Middle East – will make it increasingly unlikely that President Trump will exert pressure on Russia over the war in Ukraine." (BBC News: 14 June 2025) (my emphasis)
Trump's 'bromance' with Putin has not quite ended." "
Is Putin's abject failure in supporting Syria's Assad, and the now uncertainty in his close political and 'security' relationship with Iran's Ayatollah Khameini as the Israel-Iran war continues, now forcing Trump to come to the aid of Putin at the current G7 meeting?
Is Trump now hell-bent on saving Putin by betraying Ukraine?
UPDATE: 18 June 2025: 07.27 GMT
Steve Rosenberg (left) reports that,
"The fact remains that Russia was unable to prevent a mass strike by Israel on a country with which five months ago [Russia] signed a comprehensive strategic partnership.
"Clearly Moscow is not prepared to go beyond political statements condemning Israel, it's not ready to provide Iran with military assistance." wrote Russian political scientist Andrei Kortunov in business daily Kommersant on Monday." (BBC News: 18 June 2025) (my emphasis)
Steve Rosenberg further writes that,
"In the last six months Moscow has already lost one key ally in the Middle East, Bashar al-Assad.
After the Syrian leader was deposed last December he was offered asylum in Russia. The prospect of regime change in Iran, the thought of losing another strategic partner in the region, will be of major concern to Moscow." (ibid Steve Rosenberg)
Even more disconcerting for Putin, Parisa Hafezi, Jaidaa Taha and Maayan Lubell report that,
"Trump's comments, delivered via social media, suggested a more aggressive stance toward Iran as he weighs whether to deepen U.S. involvement.
"We know exactly where the so-called 'Supreme Leader' is hiding," he wrote on Truth Social. "We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now...Our patience is wearing thin."
Three minutes later, he posted, "UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!" (Reuters: 17 June 2025) (my emphasis)
Will this current stance of Trump towards Iran also reinforce him being "hell-bent on saving Putin by betraying Ukraine?"
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