Buzzfeed: Trump called Crimea Russian

President Donald Trump told G-7 leaders that Crimea is Russian because everyone who lives there speaks Russian, told Buzzfeed. two diplomatic sources

Details

• Trump made the remarks during a discussion on international relations at last Friday's G7 summit dinner, one source said.
• During the dinner, Trump also reportedly asked why the G7 leaders had sided with Ukraine. The US president told other leaders that "Ukraine is one of the most corrupt countries in the world," the source said.
• It's not clear if Trump's comments were meant as a joke or if they represent a radical departure from current US foreign policy, according to Buzzfeed.
• The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

Context

• Before leaving for the summit in Canada, Trump said that Russia should be returned to the G7. Later, already at the summit, he repeated this idea.
• Trump also blamed former President Barack Obama for what happened in Ukraine. “Obama can say whatever he wants, but he let Russia take Crimea,” Trump said.
• Other European leaders at the G-7 summit, including French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, told reporters that Russia could not return to the group until progress was made in Ukraine.