White House expects G8 meeting this year

ADA, Michigan (Reuters) - The Group of Eight leaders are expected to hold a meeting on the global financial crisis this year and President George W. Bush is expected to attend, White House spokesman Tony Fratto said on Wednesday.

"We all want to be able to make sure we get through this period, but we want to send a clear signal to the world that we intend to meet and to deal with these issues in the future," Fratto told reporters traveling with Bush in Michigan.

He said Bush believed it was important not to repeat past mistakes of protectionism and to ensure that countries commit to trade and investment. Russia is included in the meeting as it also has been hurt by the financial crisis.

(Reporting by Tabassum Zakaria; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama )