Do leaders of "advanced nations" use carrots to entice a leader of a less advanced nation (like membership in the G8)?

Or do leaders use sticks (like sanctions) to entice the less advanced country to a better way.

The players in geopolitics have to make difficult decisions--in a game that is constantly changing. I have written about this:

https://medium.com/my-unpopular-opinion/geopolitics-is-an-unpopular-opinion-9b9e54ac60f6

After the fact, it is easy to criticize a bad decision. Just like it's easy for spectators to criticize the football coach or players after the game was lost.