The Group of Seven summit opened Sunday in Canada amid rising global tensions, including the Israel-Iran conflict and U.S. President Trump’s trade disputes.
Israel’s strikes and Iran’s retaliation caught many leaders off guard. “I expect intense discussions,” said U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who spoke with both Mr. Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, the host, opted against issuing a joint communique, as leaders are expected to focus on bilateral talks. French President Emmanuel Macron criticized Mr. Trump’s Greenland ambitions, stating, “I don’t think that’s something to be done between allies.”
Trump’s arrival looms, with leaders seeking to dissuade him from tariffs. “Trump doesn’t like the big round table as much he likes the one-on-one,” said Peter Boehm, a former G7 sherpa.
Former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien urged calm, saying, “He tends to be a bully.”
Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy is also expected, as the war remains a major agenda item.
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