TRUMP POSTPONES JUNE G7 SUMMIT AFTER MERKEL SNUB

US President Donald Trump told reporters on Saturday (Sunday, May 31, 2020 in Manila)  that he was postponing a Group of 7 meeting scheduled to be held in the United States next month, possibly holding it in September, after Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, said she would not attend in person, citing concerns about the coronavirus.

In a story published on May 31, The New York Times Mr. Trump also announced that he wants to invite Russia to rejoin the group despite opposition from practically all members of the richest industrial nations on the planet.

Trump also wants to invite South Korea, Australia and India to the summit, with an adviser adding the idea was to bring together traditional allies to discuss China.

“I don’t feel that as a G7 it properly represents what’s going on in the world. It’s a very outdated group of countries,” Mr. Trump said. But his decision to say he will unilaterally invite Russia — which was indefinitely suspended in March 2014 after the annexing of Crimea — is certain to inflame other member-nations with more snubs expected as national leaders consider Trump to be a lameduck and could not lead the G7. #COVID19