White House says U.S. not inviting Russia to G7

ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE (Reuters) – The Biden administration is not inviting Russia to join the G7 group of world leaders, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said on Friday, backing away from former President Donald Trump’s push for Moscow’s membership.

Any invitation for Russia to join the G7 would be made in partnership with all of the group’s members, she told reporters, speaking aboard Air Force One.

Trump last June had called the G7 “a very outdated group of countries” and said that he wanted to add Russia, Australia, South Korea and India to their ranks.

“I don’t think we’re making new invitations to Russia or reiterating new invitations to Russia. Obviously an invitation would be done in partnership with our G7 partners,” Psaki said.

(Reporting by Alexandra Alper; writing by Susan Heavey; editing by Chris Reese)