Trade, a sudden exit, Middle East conflict

Canada’s G7 summit, under first-time host Mark Carney, had a carefully planned agenda.

That programme was upended by the unfolding war between Israel and Iran and US President Donald Trump’s early departure.

Still, Carney said on Tuesday this summit “can begin a new era of co-operation that promotes long-term resilience over short-term efficiency”.

Here are five takeaways from the dramatic G7 in Kananaskis, Alberta.

The G7 nations – Italy, the US, France, Germany, the UK, Canada and Japan – were one leader short on Tuesday following the US president’s surprise decision to abandon the summit early for Washington DC.

World leaders put a positive spin on the abrupt departure.

Prime Minister Carney said he fully understood the president’s decision, while French President Emmanuel Macron called one reporter’s question about whether the group was now a de facto G6 “disrespectful”.

Trump said he left because of the rapidly unfolding events between Israel and Iran.

The White House insisted the president had had a “great day” in Alberta and achieved much during the trip. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stayed behind to represent the US.

Trump’s departure was not necessarily a bad thing, said Denisse Rudich, director of the G7 Research Group London.

While he was there, it appeared that everyone was “on eggshells” with leaders smiling, but wary that “you don’t quite know what is going to shift”.

They were more relaxed the next day, she said. “It didn’t look forced. It looked a lot more natural.”

Still, it meant Trump missed planned bilateral meetings with Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum (though he spoke with her later by phone, the White House said.)

By Tuesday, much of the world’s attention had shifted from the mountain resort in Canada’s Rocky Mountains to the unfolding conflict in the Middle East and uncertainty as to the potential course of action by the US.

The conflict also overshadowed much of the first day of the summit as G7 leaders sought consensus on their response to tensions in the region.

Eventually, all seven, the US, too, released a communique urging a “de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza” – though it stopped short of calling for a ceasefire between Israel and Iran.

Trump later accused the French president of “publicity seeking” with his suggestion that the US was working towards a ceasefire.

On Tuesday, Macron said it was Trump who discussing that option.

“I am not responsible for the changes of mind of the US administration,” he said.

Despite that back and forth, the statement was a show of unity.

On Ukraine, Zelensky will leave this summit with new aid from Canada but notably no joint statement of support.

There were reports that Canada had dropped plans for a strong statement in the war over US resistance.

Pressed on that, Carney denied a lack of consensus, and pointed to remarks on Ukraine in the summit chairman’s summary statement.

In that statement, the G7 “expressed support for President Trump’s efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine” and pressed Russia to agree a ceasefire.

It also said they “are resolute in exploring all options to maximize pressure on Russia, including financial sanctions” – something Trump has resisted.

Another outcome is likely to cause friction for Carney at home. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s attendance at the summit was a point of tension among Sikh Canadians.

Carney’s office said India and Canada had agreed to restore diplomatic services after both countries expelled top envoys.

This followed Ottawa’s accusation that New Delhi government agents had been involved in the killing of a Sikh separatist leader on Canadian soil.

According to a readout of the meeting between Carney and Modi, he raised “transnational crime and repression, security, and the rules-based order” in the conversation.

Still, Carney, a former central bank governor for Canada and the UK, went into his first G7 summit as prime minister and host with a focused agenda and left with joint statements on artificial intelligence and quantum computing, migrant smuggling, critical minerals and other issues.

The approach was “concise, detailed, action-oriented – you can see the banker”, said Ms Rudich.

She complimented the “outcomes focused” approach to diplomacy, pointing to the example of an agreement to boost global co-operation on wildfires “without specifically making reference to climate change”.

One of the most watched moments of the summit was a sit-down between Trump and Carney.

The two countries were reportedly close to coming to a trade and security deal after talks launched last month to resolve their tit-for-tat tariffs war.

Trump said hurdles remained – he’s a “tariff person”, Carney “has a more complex idea”.

But those differences aren’t insurmountable, according to a statement from Carney’s office, which said the “leaders agreed to pursue negotiations toward a deal within the coming 30 days”.

On that deadline, the prime minister said he will pursue an agreement “in the best interests of certainly Canada and aligned with US interests”.

The G7 also gave Carney the opportunity to pitch multiple world leaders on trade with Canada.

The prime minister has the lofty goal of making Canada’s economy the strongest in the G7 while seeking to reduce his country’s deep economic reliance on the US.

On Tuesday, European officials said they were close to signing a defence procurement agreement with Canada, which also wants to reduce its dependence on American equipment.

Trump was open about one thing he wanted from the summit: trade deals.

While Carney didn’t walk away with one, British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and the US leader were all smiles after bringing into force parts of a tariff agreement they sealed last month.

Plenty of other leaders in attendance were keen to pin down the president on his tariffs and trade.

Like Canada, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Trump failed to reach a breakthrough but agreed to push ahead with trade talks.

“We’ve been exploring the possibility of a deal down to the wire, but there are still points where our views remain divided,” Ishiba told reporters.

There is some pressure on the US end as well – Trump has promised deals by his own 9 July deadline that marks the end of a 90-day pause on his “Liberation Day” tariffs.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the ongoing trade talks between the US and the EU were “complex”, but were “advancing”, with the goal of a deal by July.