WASHINGTON, December 11. /TASS/. The US administration is exploring the creation of an intergovernmental group including Russia, China, India, Japan, and the US as a potential alternative to the G7, Politico reported.
According to the newspaper, Washington is reportedly discussing a "seemingly far out idea" to establish a new group of countries called the "Core 5", or C5.
The Defense One news website reported that this proposal was included in the unpublished version of the National Security Strategy at its disposal. According to the website, the White House is considering creating a new group of powers, one that isn’t restricted by the G7’s requirements. The first item on the C5 agenda could be addressing the situation in the Middle East, in particular the normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly declined to confirm to Politico the existence of such documents but experts in national security noted that establishing the C5 would serve the interests of the current administration. "This aligns with how we know President Trump to view the world, which is nonideologically, through an affinity for strongmen, and through a propensity of working with other great powers that maintain spheres of influence in their region," said Torrey Taussig, who served as director for European affairs on the National Security Council during the Biden administration. She estimated that the absence of Europe in the C5 project "would lead Europeans to believe this administration views Russia as the preeminent power with the ability to carry out its own sphere of influence over Europe."
On December 5, the White House released an updated National Security Strategy of the United States. The document declares Washington’s departure from believing it is solely responsible for the world order, highlights a desire to achieve strategic stability in relations with Russia and notes the remaining contradictions with Europe.