Theresa May clashes with Donald Trump by rejecting his call for Russia to be readmitted to G7

'Before any such conversations can take place, Russia needs to change its approach'

Theresa May has rejected Donald Trump’s explosive call for Russia to be readmitted to the G7 group of powerful nations, because of the poisoning of ex-spy Sergei Skripal.

The prime minister said Vladimir Putin’s regime must “change its approach” before it could restore its role at the table of the world’s richest economies.

Speaking in Canada, she highlighted Russia’s “malign activity” - in particular, the use of a nerve agent to poison Mr Skripal, the Russian double agent, and his daughter, in Salisbury.

“I have always said we should engage with Russia but my phrase is 'engage but beware'” she told the BBC.

“We should remind ourselves why the G8 became the G7, it was because Russia illegally annexed Crimea. We have seen malign activity from Russia in a whole variety of ways, of course including on the streets of Salisbury in the UK.

“So we need to say, I think, before any such conversations can take place, Russia needs to change its approach.”

Ms May’s clash with Mr Trump comes despite her backing his positive contribution to the G7 when she spoke to journalists on the flight to Canada.

The response came a couple of hours after the US president opened up another damaging split at the troubled G7 summit, in Quebec.

“Why are we having a meeting without Russia in the meeting?” he asked reporters as he left the White House for Canada.

“They should let Russia come back in because we should have Russia at the negotiating table.”

The stance was quickly backed by Giuseppe Conte, the new right-wing Italian prime minister who is making his international debut the summit of world power leaders.

“I agree with President (Trump). Russia should be re-admitted into the G8. It is in the interests of everyone,” Mr Conte said, in a tweet.

Jean-Claude Juncker, the EU Commission president made clear Brussels’ opposition, telling a press conference: “Russia is in violation of international law because of its annexation of Crimea and, equally, what it has done in eastern Ukraine.”

The dispute over Russia comes on top of Mr Trump battling the rest of the G7- the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan - over his newly-imposed tariffs on steel and aluminium.

There have been claims the US president has told allies that he resents Ms May’s “school mistress” tone – and he snubbed the idea of formal talks between the pair at the G7 summit.

The prime minister was facing a potentially uncomfortable seat at the session to discuss tariffs and the global economy – between Mr Trump and the Italian prime minister.

In another TV interview, she declined to say the US president was a “good friend” to the UK, telling Channel 4: “The United States and the United Kingdom are good friends. President Trump and I work together.

“Yes, sometimes we disagree on issues but when we disagree because of the nature of our relationship we're able to have that frank and open discussion.”

Mr Trump posted a series of angry messages on Twitter, accusing the EU and Canada of imposing “massive trade tariffs and non-monetary Trade Barriers” against the US.