Six of the Group of Seven leaders are trying on the final day of their Tuesday to show the wealthy nations’ club still has the clout to shape world events despite the early departure of President Donald Trump.
Prime Minister Mark Carney and his counterparts from the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Japan will be joined by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO chief Mark Rutte to discuss Russia’s relentless war on its neighbor.
World leaders had gathered in Canada with the specific goal of helping to defuse a series of pressure points, only to be disrupted by a showdown over Iran’s nuclear program that could escalate in dangerous and uncontrollable ways. Israel launched an aerial bombardment campaign against Iran on Friday, and Iran has hit back with missiles and drones.
Trump left the summit in the Canadian Rocky Mountain resort of Kananaskis a day early late Monday, saying: “I have to be back, very important.” It came as conflict between Israel and Iran intensifies and the U.S. leader declared that Tehran should be evacuated “immediately” — while also expressing optimism about a deal to stop the violence.
Before leaving, Trump joined the other leaders in issuing a statement saying Iran “can never have a nuclear weapon” and calling for a “de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza.” Getting unanimity — even on a short and broadly worded statement — was a modest measure of success for the group.
At the summit, Trump warned that Tehran needs to curb its nuclear program before it’s “too late.” He said Iranian leaders would “like to talk” but they had already had 60 days to reach an agreement on their nuclear ambitions and failed to do so before the Israeli aerial assault began. “They have to make a deal,” he said.
Asked what it would take for the U.S. to get involved in the conflict militarily, Trump said Monday morning, “I don’t want to talk about that.“
But by Monday afternoon, Trump warned ominously on social media, “Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!” Shortly after that, Trump decided to leave the summit and skip a series of Tuesday meetings that would address the war in Ukraine and trade issues.
The sudden departure only heightened the drama of a world that seems on verge of several firestorms. Trump already has imposed severe tariffs on multiple nations that risk a global economic slowdown. There has been little progress on settling the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.
Trump’s stance on Ukraine puts him fundamentally at odds with the other G7 leaders, who back Ukraine and are clear that Russia is the aggressor in the war.
The U.S. president on Monday suggested there would have been no war if G7 members hadn’t expelled Putin from the organization in 2014 for annexing Crimea.
Trump on Monday demurred when asked if he supported Russia, saying “I only care about saving lives.”
With talks on ending the war at an impasse, Starmer said Britain and other G7 members were slapping new tariffs on Russia in a bid to get it to the ceasefire negotiating table. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is due to attend the summit Tuesday at Carney’s invitation, along with other leaders including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and NATO chief Mark Rutte.
Trump declined to join in the sanctions on Russia, saying he would wait until Europe did so first.
“When I sanction a country that costs the U.S. a lot of money, a tremendous amount of money,” he said.
Trump had been scheduled before his departure to meet with Zelenskyy and with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
On the Middle East, Merz told reporters that Germany was planning to draw up a final communique proposal on the Israel-Iran conflict that will stress that “Iran must under no circumstances be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons-capable material.”
Trump also seemed to put a greater priority on addressing his grievances with other nations’ trade policies than on collaboration with G7 allies. The U.S. president has imposed 50% tariffs on steel and aluminum as well as 25% tariffs on autos. Trump is also charging a 10% tax on imports from most countries, though he could raise rates on July 9, after the 90-day negotiating period set by him would expire.
He announced with Starmer that they had signed a trade framework Monday that was previously announced in May, with Trump saying that British trade was “very well protected’ because ”I like them, that’s why. That’s their ultimate protection.”
Associated Press writers Will Weissert in Banff, Alberta, and Josh Boak in Calgary, Alberta, contributed to this story.
© Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
43 Comments
Bob Fosse
“I have to be back, very important.”
Dinner with $5 million donors? Advertise his new smartphone?
Or far more likely avoiding any talk of Ukraine now his bluff has been called.
BB
A strategic retreat from a situation in which he was in over his head.
Sven Asai
The cat's away, so now the little mice will play.
JJE
That's correct - also known as the Boomerang Effect.
Trump doesn't have much time for this irrelevant bunch of no-hopers who still think they are the masters-of-the-universe.
Minus the US, the G7 is an obsolete investors club of former Western Powers (with Japan tacked on for good looks) that once traditionally dominated the global economic and financial systems, now declining and can no longer do so on their own.
Some dude
That's correct - also known as the Boomerang Effect.
It was calculated that even if he had the balls to do it, sanctioning Russia would take up 0.1% of the US budget.
He won't do it because Putin owns him, and this has never been clearer than now.
Jay
OK so we've got Macron, Mark Carney, and Keir Starmer in a lineup - three slimy, Davos-bred globalist puppets reading from the same WEF playbook... and Trump is the bad guy?!
You’ve got Macron handing France over to technocrats while his own country burns, Carney pushing climate schemes that just happen to consolidate power into central banks, and Starmer - a walking press release - selling out the UK's sovereignty and turning it into the more of third-world mess the minute it makes Brussels smile. These guys are the polished face of elite control.
Like him or not, Trump - for all his chaos - actually pissed off the right people: entrenched bureaucrats, media monopolies, and global finance creeps. And that’s why they hate him. Not because he's dangerous to democracy - but because he's dangerous to their monopoly on it.
The irony is absolutely UNREAL. Three puppets in suits wrecking nations with a smile are called "leaders," and the one guy who didn't play ball gets branded the "villain."
wallace
The tone of the discussions will now improve without Trump.
Some dude
OK so we've got Macron, Mark Carney, and Keir Starmer in a lineup - three slimy, Davos-bred globalist puppets reading from the same WEF playbook... and Trump is the bad guy?!
Finally, you're starting to get it.
JJE
Not sure where that figure came from - another take is Lindsey Graham's "bone crushing" sanctions bill on Russia, with 500% tariffs on countries that purchase Russian energy, would have a far more extensive and controversial effect on US trade, particularly with major trading partners.
Moscow won't buckle to sanctions - it views this as a defensive national security crackdown on its vital western flank, checkmating aggressive alliance expansionism there, all the while adjusting the security umbrella to secure the front porch area with room for some more deckchairs.
deanzaZZR
Womp, Womp
Flapjacks with maple syrup for breakfast?
Jay
Orange Man bad. Got it.
Now kindly explain to us with a straight face how you believe the three soggiest pieces of globalist toast standing next to him are the "good guys".
JJE
Latest SM post from Trump just now:
Hilarious - Trump just derided Macon as 'publicity seeking' (earlier the latter publicly suggested the former had made a ceasefire offer).
Tokyo Guy
Did he actually achieve anything constructive? All I saw was that he dropped a piece of paper, confused the EU with the UK, and ran away after it became clear that nobody wanted him there.
If the USA insists on continuing with the charade that they are aligned with the west, they should at least try and find someone who isn't a dim Russian asset, and send that person instead.
Yrral
Iran should open a çan butt hurt on Arab state that are complicit against them
TaiwanIsNotChina
They haven't betrayed their countries to Putin. Simple as.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Sounds like a reason for russians to be dying.
JJE
There is zero point in further coverage of the G7 once Trump has bailed. Everyone and everything discussed is just white noise irrelevance of the first order. They will manage a few photos ops and sure, Zelensky will jet in on his airbus (wonder who foots the bill for that) and they will pump some smoke by puffing each other up with craven reassurances and kind words that sound big but never lead to any action because they have no cards.
Some dude
Now kindly explain to us with a straight face how you believe the three soggiest pieces of globalist toast standing next to him are the "good guys".
To the best of my knowledge, none of them has:
fomented an insurrection
had multiple affairs
clearly allied themselves to Russia and sold out their country
intentionally tried to make Ukraine lose
shoved another head of state out of the way
bankrupted multiple businesses
invited multiple world leaders to their country and tried to ambush them
suggested that they would date their own daughters
conspired with a technocrat billionaire to steal and election and more or less openly admitted to it.
I mean, I could go on.
itsonlyrocknroll
Trumps exit was an embarrassment, humiliation for hosts Canada, and the remining G6, I truly wonder what the future holds for any pretence of global unity.
It is toe curling, terrifying in a complete disregard to sustain democratic unity, even though all can disagree.
Not remotely reminiscent to respectful attitude our business colleagues, we had the honour pleasure to meet, face to face for the first time in New Jersey last summer
Some dude
Sounds like a reason for russians to be dying.
Do we need a reason for this? I don't see any downside.
TaiwanIsNotChina
I bet the urgent thing Trump had to do was to get away from people reminding him he is losing in Ukraine and to flush some more missiles defending Israel.
okinawarides
Bob FosseToday 02:29 pm JST “I have to be back, very important.” Dinner with $5 million donors? Advertise his new smartphone?
Bob should read more updates on the ME situation.
bass4funk
Yes
Deal with the chaotic worlds problem as the most powerful man on the planet
It can wait
itsonlyrocknroll
The Israeli/Iran war was totally unhinged before; President Trump attended this G7 summit.
President Trump had a political point to prove.
Trump could have made his excuses and not attended.
Some dude
Bob should read more updates on the ME situation.
In fairness, "ME" is the only thing Trump cares about.
factchecker
It'll be a far more productive meeting without that idiot there.
bass4funk
I think the feeling is mutual
WiseOneIn Kansai
The ICE circus happening back in the US wouldn't be the same without the clown.
Basically, Trump couldn't face up to Zelensky with the other summit members in the room and push his 'Russia should be in this summit' narrative.
He just flew home, with his tail between his legs and achieved nothing, as usual.
okinawarides
Tokyo GuyToday 02:55 pm JST...If the USA insists on continuing with the charade that they are aligned with the west, they should at least try and find someone who isn't a dim Russian asset, and send that person instead.
The public is keenly awaiting reliable proof to confirm the Russian asset theory, but in the absence of
such they continue to dismiss it as just more conspiracy drivel. It really would be helpful to have that proof tabled now so the issue can be put to rest.
HopeSpringsEternal
Trump controlled G-7 agenda from very first interview with Canada's PM Carney, making it clear that the G-7 made a big mistake with Putin ten years prior and that Iran Isreal war's the TOP US National Security Priority
Not sure what Pres. Zelenskyy expecting on Tues, because whatever he's selling, Trump's NOT buying
Wasabi
The president of the USA!
HopeSpringsEternal
If we're honest, G-6 in chaos, terrible economic growth prospects, AI irrelevance, militarily weak, demographic collapse, resource poor with exception of Canada and really no catalysts or vision, as EU crumbles from within
bass4funk
Law and order always
You actually believe that??
For the life of me I don’t get these childish temper tantrums…or….maybe he needs to attend a serious meeting in the situation room….I mean, Israel and Iran
funkymofo
Blames wrong Prime Minister, simps for Putin…. again- then throws his toys out of the pram and stomps home. Still upset about the birthday parade turnout apparently hahaha.
isabelle
There is plenty of point in covering the sanctions imposed against your Russian war criminals, and the increased aid for the Ukrainians being brutally invaded by your Russian war criminals.
TaiwanIsNotChina
There is sufficient proof right there in the gross negligence Trump displays in taking on our adversary of 100 years.
bass4funk
It happens, the guys human
You should want to have a functioning relationship with the second most powerful nation on the planet
He’s the president of the U.S., it wasn’t a Disneyland excursion
All good and well, no reason to be upset
TaiwanIsNotChina
No, we should not be skating past the advances of our enemies and pretending like everything is fine. Also russia is less powerful than the EU by any objective measure but shell stockpiles. Definitely less powerful than China as well.
HopeSpringsEternal
G-6 right now busy trying to figure out their Ukraine end game, because without the US support, their secured creditor proxy war "for $profit" will have to be shutdown
TaiwanIsNotChina
Trump is one of the secured creditors.
purple_depressed_bacon
That photo sums up He Who Shall Not Be Named well - you have there 3 grown men standing there smiling and waving politely...and then you have an overgrown toddler making a funny face. They probably made him stand in the middle to ensure he doesn't run off or throw a wobbly. But hey, turns out he scuttled out early anyway because his manners left the building long before he did.
wallace
There will be an American carrier fleet off the coast of Iran this week. The U.S. Navy's aircraft carrier USS Nimitz departed the South China Sea Monday morning.
bass4funk
Tell Europe to step up
Lol, if they truly are then they should go all in best Russia to a pulp and bring it to its knees, combined they could do that, but they’re not. A paper tiger at the very least