Kananaskis: US President Donald Trump departed the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Canada a day ahead of schedule, as confirmed by the White House on Monday. The decision was attributed to ongoing tensions in the Middle East, specifically the conflict between Israel and Iran.
According to France24.com, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that Trump’s early departure was necessary to address the escalating Israel-Iran conflict, with Israel urging US military intervention. French President Emmanuel Macron disclosed that Trump had proposed a ceasefire between the two nations. However, a US official stated that Trump would not endorse a draft statement advocating for de-escalation in the region. Despite this, Macron viewed Trump’s departure as a positive step towards achieving a ceasefire and initiating broader discussions.
The G7 summit, attended by leaders from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the US, along with the European Union, was held in the Canadian Rockies’ resort area of Kananaskis and was scheduled to conclude on Tuesday. Earlier, during a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Trump expressed disagreement with the decision to exclude Russia from the Group of Eight in 2014 following its annexation of Crimea. Trump suggested that Russia’s exclusion may have contributed to its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Although Trump did not explicitly call for Russia’s reinstatement in the group, his comments raised questions about the potential outcomes of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s scheduled meeting with G7 leaders. Josh Lipsky, a former senior IMF official, noted that European nations were seeking to persuade Trump to support tougher sanctions on Moscow. Despite Trump’s departure, Zelensky was still expected to attend the summit, as confirmed by a spokesperson for the Ukrainian embassy in Canada.
Canada decided against adopting a comprehensive communique to prevent a repeat of the 2018 summit in Quebec, where Trump withdrew US approval of the final communique after departing. Leaders prepared draft documents on various topics, including migration, artificial intelligence, and critical minerals, but none received US approval, according to sources briefed on the documents. Without Trump’s participation, the issuance of any declarations remained uncertain, as noted by a European diplomat.
In addition to the G7 members, Prime Minister Carney invited non-G7 countries such as Mexico, India, Australia, South Africa, South Korea, Brazil, and Ukraine. On Monday, Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the finalization of a trade deal reached between the two nations, making Britain the first country to secure a deal for reduced US tariffs. Carney stated that he and Trump agreed to pursue a new economic and security deal within 30 days. Trump also hinted at the possibility of a new economic agreement with host Canada but emphasized the importance of tariffs, a stance opposed by the Canadian government. Kirsten Hillman, Canada’s ambassador to Washington, reiterated Canada’s position against tariffs on its exports to the US.