Former U.S. President Donald Trump stated that the ongoing conflict in Ukraine might have been preventable if Russia had remained a member of the Group of Eight (G8) nations. Trump made the assertion in a recent statement, implying Russia’s exclusion contributed to the escalation of tensions. He did not elaborate on the specific mechanisms by which Russia’s continued membership would have averted the crisis. The G8, comprised of major industrialized democracies, became the G7 after Russia’s suspension in 2014 following its annexation of Crimea. This statement reflects Trump’s previously expressed admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his critical stance towards current U.S. policy regarding Ukraine. The comments were reported by RT.com, a Russian state-funded international television network.