G7 Summit in Canada: Leaders Seek to Sidestep Trump Tensions

• G7 Leaders’ Summit to run through Tuesday.
• No formal joint declaration anticipated.
• Expected attendees include leaders from Ukraine, India, and more.

The Group of Seven leaders will meet in the Canadian Rockies starting Sunday, amid rising tensions with the United States over issues like foreign policy and trade. Host Canada is aiming to sidestep conflicts with President Trump.

Prime Minister Mark Carney has stated that his main goals include reinforcing peace and security, developing supply chains for critical minerals, and creating employment opportunities, while contentious topics such as U.S. tariffs and ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine are likely to dominate discussions.

On Thursday, U.S. ally Israel launched a series of strikes against Iran, undermining Trump’s diplomatic initiative to avert such actions.

The summit is set to take place in Kananaskis, a mountain resort located approximately 90 kilometers west of Calgary.

During Canada’s last hosting in 2018, Trump departed early after publicly criticizing then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, calling him “very dishonest and weak,” and prompted the U.S. delegation to retract its agreement on the final communique.

“This will be a successful summit if Trump doesn’t have an outburst that derails the entire gathering. Anything beyond that would be a bonus,” noted Roland Paris, an international affairs professor at the University of Ottawa who served as a foreign policy adviser to Trudeau.

Trump has previously raised the idea of annexing Canada, arriving amid Carney’s threats of retaliation if Washington continues imposing tariffs on steel and aluminum.

“The ideal situation would be to avoid any major disruptions,” remarked Josh Lipsky, chair of international economics at the Atlantic Council and a former White House and State Department official.

Carney’s office refrained from commenting on how the recent Israeli strikes might influence the summit.

No Joint Communique

Sources revealed Canada has abandoned plans for a traditional joint communique, opting instead for chair summaries to minimize conflicts and maintain U.S. engagement.

A senior Canadian official informed reporters that Ottawa aims to emphasize actions the seven member nations—Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States—can take collectively.

Canadian Senator Peter Boehm, a seasoned diplomat who represented Trudeau during the 2018 summit, indicated that this year’s gathering would be extended to facilitate bilateral meetings with the U.S. president.

Leaders from Ukraine, Mexico, India, Australia, South Africa, South Korea, and Brazil are expected to participate at various points from Sunday to Tuesday, all eager to converse with Trump.

“Many will want to discuss their specific interests and concerns with President Trump,” Boehm added during a phone interview.

A high-ranking U.S. official stated on Friday that discussions would tackle trade, the global economy, critical minerals, migration, drug trafficking, wildfires, international security, artificial intelligence, and energy stability.

“The president is keen to pursue his objectives in these areas, including making trade relationships fair and reciprocal,” the official commented.

The visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the Oval Office in February ended in conflict, serving as a cautionary tale for other world leaders in their dealings with Trump.

However, diplomats maintain that the frustration of engaging with the Trump administration has made some countries more eager to assert their own positions.

Canada, a steadfast supporter of Ukraine, hopes for a significant outcome despite Trump’s promise to resolve the conflict with Russia swiftly, as diplomatic dialogue has faltered.

One Ukrainian official involved in summit preparations mentioned that hopes for a strong statement of support for Ukraine have diminished, and that merely achieving a cordial meeting between Trump and Zelensky would be considered a success.

A European official noted that both the G7 summit and the NATO meeting in The Hague later in June present an opportunity to underscore the necessity for Trump to advance a sanctions bill designed by U.S. senators, along with a new European initiative aimed at pressuring Russia for a ceasefire and broader negotiations.

Early Test

This will be Trump’s first international summit and may provide early indications of his willingness to collaborate with allies on common issues, stated Max Bergmann, director at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

“The primary question is whether the United States remains committed to formats like the G7. That will be the significant test,” said Bergmann.

French President Emmanuel Macron described his relationship with Trump as good but straightforward, despite differences on issues such as Ukraine and climate change.

On Friday, Macron announced that a United Nations conference, co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia to work toward a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine, has been postponed.