US never invited Russia to return to G7: Putin

ISTANBUL

Russian President Vladimir Putin denied that the US extended an invitation for Russia to return to the Group of Seven (G7) during his meeting earlier this week with US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law and informal adviser Jared Kushner in the Kremlin.

“No, the topic simply came up. And I explained to Mr. Witkoff why I stopped attending these G7 events. There were no suggestions, nothing like that happened. We simply touched on the topic,” Putin said in an interview with Indian broadcaster India Today, the entirety of which was released Thursday.

He denied that Russia is seeking to restore its membership in the G7, noting that he stopped attending the forum’s meetings without relation to events in Ukraine, which he said he explained to the US side during the recent talks.

Putin highlighted that other major international platforms are “taking shape” such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, BRICS and the G20, noting Russia’s participation in them with a “non-confrontational approach.”

Putin drew attention to Russia’s current ties with the European Union as another aspect on the matter.

“I'll go to this G7 meeting, and how will I talk to the members of this G7 if they don't want to talk to me? So what am I supposed to do there?” he added.

On Tuesday, Putin held a meeting with Witkoff and Kushner in Moscow for discussions on Washington’s revised draft peace plan for Ukraine, which Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said were “constructive, very useful, and informative.”

Russia was suspended from the G8 in 2014 due to its annexation of Crimea, a move that violated international law and led the other member nations to cancel a G8 summit scheduled in Russia and revert the group to the G7.

During the interview, Putin also touched on the topic of India’s purchases of Russian energy, questioning mounting pressure from US President Donald Trump on New Delhi to halt purchases of Russian oil.

“The US itself still buys nuclear fuel from us for its own nuclear power plants…If the US has the right to buy fuel from us, why should India be deprived of this right? This is a question that requires careful research, and we are prepared to discuss it with President Trump,” he said.

His remarks came amid tensions between the US and India over 50% tariffs imposed on Indian goods by the Trump administration that took effect in August, partly for purchasing Russian oil as the over three-and-a-half-year Russia-Ukraine war rages on.

India described the measures as “unjustified and unreasonable,” underlining that the US also continued to import “uranium hexafluoride for its nuclear industry, palladium for its EV industry, and fertilizers as well as chemicals” from Russia.

Putin further commented on ties between Russia and India, saying their countries have a comprehensive plan for cooperation in key sectors, the most important of which, he said, are “those that are focused on the future, such as high technology.”

“We cooperate with India in these areas, including space exploration, energy—and, as is well known, nuclear energy. The Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (in India) is one of the leading major projects (along with) shipbuilding and aviation,” he said.

Putin said Russia’s energy cooperation with India is not linked to the current political climate or the Russia-Ukraine war. He affirmed that commercial ties, particularly in hydrocarbons, were well established through "very good, trusting and effectively functioning trade and economic contacts prior to the ongoing conflict."

He also said that both countries have seen a slight decline in overall trade turnover in the first nine months of this year but noted this to be “just an adjustment,” with their overall trade turnover being roughly the same level as before.

“I can't give you exact monthly figures right now, but trade in petroleum products, oil and the production of petroleum products for consumers of oil, Russian oil, in India is proceeding at a completely normal pace,” he added.