Trump favored restoring the G8 with Russia's participation

American President Donald Trump said on February 13 that he would like to restore the G8 with Russia's participation.

"I would like it [Russia] to come back. I think it was a mistake to exclude them. Look, it's not about whether you like Russia or don't like Russia. This was the G8," Reuters quoted him as saying.

The US president added that Russian representatives should sit "at the negotiating table" with the rest of the organization.

Sense of contact: Putin and Trump agree on diplomatic solution to Ukraine crisis

In an hour and a half, they also discussed prisoner exchanges, the situation in the Middle East and the Iran nuclear deal

Russian President Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with Trump the previous day. As reported by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, the two leaders discussed many topics, including the exchange of Russian and US citizens, the settlement of the Ukrainian conflict and the situation in the Middle East. Trump, in turn, noted the unity with Putin in the opinion that Washington and Moscow will be able to get more benefit from working together.