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Trump Says He Wants Russia Back at G-7 Summits

Ken Bredemeier

   WASHINGTON - U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday he wants Russia
   back at the Group of Seven summits of the world's leading economies,
   even though it still controls Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula.

   Moscow was booted from the group over its unilateral 2014 annexation of
   the peninsula.

   As the G-7 leaders head to the French Atlantic seaside town of Biarritz
   for their annual meeting this weekend, Trump said it would make sense
   for Russian President Vladimir Putin to be part of the group again.

   Trump seemed unconcerned that Russia considers Crimea part of its
   territory, instead blaming former U.S. President Barack Obama for
   Russia's takeover of Crimea.

   "They took over during [Obama's] term, not mine," Trump said. "The fact
   is President Putin totally outsmarted President Obama on Crimea and
   other things. He made a living on outsmarting President Obama and
   frankly because of it, Obama was upset and he got [Putin] out of what
   was the G-8 into the G-7."

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