President Trump on Monday said kicking Russia out of the forum of the world’s largest economies contributed to Russia invading Ukraine.

He also said it is too late to bring Russian President Vladimir Putin back to the forum.

Mr. Trump is attending the gathering of leaders from the world’s seven largest economies, known as the Group of Seven, which began Sunday in Canada. The gathering used to be known as the Group of Eight before Mr. Putin was expelled.

“They threw Russia out, which I claimed was a very big mistake, even though I wasn’t in politics,” Mr. Trump said. “Putin is no longer at the table, so it makes life more complicated, but you wouldn’t have the war.”

Russia was removed from the forum as a penalty for annexing Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. President Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pushed to remove Russia, saying the move was in direct response to its actions.

Mr. Trump said excluding Mr. Putin from the group stopped the Russian president from talking to other world leaders. He said that left Mr. Putin isolated and led to the Ukrainian war.

“He doesn’t want to talk because he was very insulted when he got thrown out of the G8, as I would be, as you would be, as anybody would be. He was very insulted,” Mr. Trump said. “He’s not a happy person about it. I can tell you that.”

When asked if Mr. Putin should be brought back into the group to restore the G8, Mr. Trump said, “Too much water has gone over the dam.”

“It was a big mistake. Obama didn’t want him, and the head of your country, the proud head of your country, didn’t want him,” Mr. Trump said, referring to Mr. Trudeau. “This was a big mistake. You know, you have your enemy at the table.”

Mr. Trump quickly clarified that he didn’t consider Mr. Putin an “enemy” at that time, again adding that if it were still the G8, “you wouldn’t have a war right now.”

• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.