Germany has said that Russia will not be readmitted into the Group of Seven, G7, nations, as U.S. President Donald Trump has requested.
German Finance Minister Joerg Kukies made this known, adding that Trump’s proposal would not receive the unanimity required.
Kukies said the G7’s condemnation of Russia’s war of aggression is very clear, especially on the third anniversary of Russia’s brutal attack.
He will be traveling to Cape Town on Tuesday for the G20 meeting of finance ministers, with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent staying away due to a scheduling conflict.
“We really need to re-embark on a path of economic growth. Germany has a lot of homework to do,” he added.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz appointed Kukies as finance minister in November after Scholz’s governing coalition collapsed. Kukies is set to serve until a new government is formed following Sunday’s election, which was won by Friedrich Merz’s conservatives.
The 27-member EU could be hit especially hard by Trump’s reciprocal tariff plan to raise U.S. import tariff rates to match tariffs and other levies charged by other countries.
According to Kukies, the EU surplus in goods exported to the United States was almost offset by a U.S. surplus in services exported to Europe.
He reiterated that the G7 could discuss longstanding proposals to use $300 billion of Russian sovereign assets frozen in Europe for the reconstruction of Ukraine, but the discussions are just beginning.
‘Russia won’t return to the G7’ – Germany
