White House says Russia’s return to G-7 fold ‘inevitable’

WASHINGTON — As the U.S. and Russia finalize plans for a summit, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday that President Donald Trump views Moscow’s return to the international fold as inevitable and that “trade-offs” could allow it to rejoin the Group of Seven club of industrialized democracies without giving Crimea back to Ukraine.

Pompeo’s comments to the Senate Appropriations Committee came as Trump’s national security adviser met in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin to prepare for a summit between the two leaders next month in Europe. Trump told reporters at the White House he’ll probably meet with Putin during a July trip to Europe. He mentioned Helsinki, Finland, and Vienna, Austria, as possible venues, adding that he would be receiving an update from his adviser, John Bolton.

The venue and date for the Trump-Putin summit were to be formally announced Thursday by both sides, Bolton said earlier in Moscow. “I’ve said it from day one, getting along with Russia and with China and with everybody is a very good thing,” Trump said. “It’s good for the world, it’s good for us, it’s good for everybody.” He said they would discuss Syria, Ukraine and “many other subjects.”

In his remarks, Pompeo said he could imagine a series of “trade-offs” with Russia to allow its return to the G-7. He would not elaborate but stressed that the U.S. position remains that Russia illegally annexed Crimea in 2014, a move that led to its suspension from the G-8. “The president deeply believes that having Russia be part of these important geo-strategic conversations is inevitable,” Pompeo told the committee in response to questions about Trump’s comments that Russia should be included in G-7 discussions. “There is a long history of that.”