Raymond J. de Souza: Those pushing Ukraine to surrender may now be in retreat
U.S. President Donald Trump quipped on Sunday that it was 'the nicest office I have ever seen.' He was speaking of St. Peter's Basilica which, relative to the late-Saddam style of decor featured at Trump Tower and Mar-a-Lago, is rather understated.
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He met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in St. Peter's before the funeral of Pope Francis, whose mortal remains were still in the church while the two presidents decided to stage a hasty bilateral sit-down. Forty years ago, Yes, Prime Minister had an entire episode about the diplomatic benefits of a state funeral, but it was a satire and the discussions were held at ancillary receptions, not a few steps ahead of the procession of the casket.
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The old line is that the narcissist must be the bride at every wedding and the corpse at every funeral. Trump apparently could not bear not to be the centre of attention, even at the funeral of a pope.
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President Zelenskyy was likely grateful that the sacred ambience of St. Peter's — and the absence of Vice-President JD Vance — made it unlikely that he would be ambushed by intemperate shouting. He was also likely pleased to see the end of this pontificate, for Pope Francis had been the only world leader to explicitly call upon Ukraine to surrender.
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It was last March that Francis called for Ukraine to have ' the courage of the white flag ' and 'negotiate before things get worse.' It provoked an incandescent response in Ukraine, including from Ukrainian Catholics. In essence, Pope Francis had the Trump position — things are bad on the battlefield, they may well get worse, so better to surrender now.
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It may be that the surrender party — led by Trump strategically and Francis morally — is now in retreat.
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Trump prefers to speak of 'a deal' rather than 'surrender,' but surrender is a type of deal. Trump knows that there are only two ways to end the war in 'one day.' Either the invading party lays down its arms and goes home, or the invaded party surrenders.
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Give Trump's affinity for Russian President Vladimir Putin, the preferred option was Ukrainian surrender. Hence the ramping up of lies — to a greater degree than even the usual Trump standard — about Ukraine starting the war, the relative contributions of Europeans and Americans to Ukraine's defence, and the reliability of Putin's promises. When Zelenskyy refused to co-operate in his own surrender, Trump's anger boiled over in the Oval Office.
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What Trump has never understood is that Ukraine does not need the 'art of the deal' to surrender to Russia. If Zelenskyy wanted to surrender, he could fly to Moscow in one day and not ruin his visit to the Bernini-adorned St. Peter's by having to look into the eyes of Donald Trump.
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Winnipeg Free Press
20 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
As Trump heads to the G7, Canada hopes to avoid another Charlevoix-style eruption
OTTAWA – U.S. President Donald Trump is set to arrive Sunday in Alberta for the G7 summit — his first visit to Canada since leaving in a huff seven years ago. Ottawa could use everything from golfing and creative scheduling to special cabinet orders to make the visit successful and avoid a repeat diplomatic disaster. 'He is somebody who is very prickly when he feels like he's not being fully respected,' said Eric Miller, president of Rideau Potomac Strategy Group, a cross-border consultancy. 'You want to make absolutely sure that … he walks away and says, 'You know, those Canadians aren't so bad after all.'' Better than last time The last time Trump was in Canada — for the G7 summit in the Charlevoix region of Quebec — things ended in a blowout. Trump refused to sign the communiqué, the published list of statements on common G7 issues that are mostly negotiated and agreed to by member nations ahead of time. He left early and lambasted Trudeau as 'very dishonest and weak' in a spat over tariffs. The summit included what Miller called the 'photograph for the ages' — of then German chancellor Angela Merkel and others standing sternly over a seated Donald Trump, who appeared to be glaring back with crossed arms. German Ambassador to Canada Matthias Lüttenberg put it bluntly when he told a June 4 panel that Ottawa was again navigating 'very difficult circumstances' as G7 chair — and capably, in his view. 'I mean, I wouldn't like to negotiate with a country at the table who's questioning my sovereignty as a state,' he said. Sen. Peter Boehm, who was summit head in 2018, recalled two late nights of negotiations because the Trump administration didn't align with the others on including climate change or references to the 'rules-based international order.' Informal talks Prime Minister Mark Carney won office in April after repeatedly saying he could stand up to Trump's threats to ruin the Canadian economy in order to make the country an American state. Carney had a cordial visit to Washington in early May and even got praise from Trump on social media and in person, despite the president insisting Canada should still become a U.S. state. The two have continued talking. U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra revealed earlier this month that the president and Carney have exchanged frequent calls and texts on trade and tariffs. Miller said facetime between the two leaders in Alberta could help them make progress on economic concerns, as well as Trump's pitch to bring Canada into his proposed Golden Dome missile shield project. 'Given that there is this conversation underway, it is important that they have an opportunity to continue that, and to meet perhaps in a setting that is less structured and formal than the Oval Office,' Miller said. 'Life is about imperfect choices, and it's absolutely the right thing to have Mr. Trump come to Canada.' He said he's not sure if there will be any formal announcement, though he added Trump is keen to sign agreements with multiple countries ahead of his self-imposed July 9 deadline for so-called retaliatory tariffs. Miller said both Canada and the U.S. are likely to take credit for Ottawa announcing this month it will drastically speed up its pledge to meet NATO's defence spending target. Trump might also take note of the fact that he's in one of the few provinces that have opted to resume sales of U.S. alcohol, after all provinces banned it from their liquor store shelves in response to U.S. tariffs. Lower expectations Ottawa's decision to schedule relatively short group discussions among G7 leaders, and to invite numerous other world leaders, could mean more of the one-on-one meetings that Trump prefers. 'Trump does not like multilateral meetings particularly. He loses interest,' Boehm said. Canadian officials have said they are focused on releasing shorter, focused statements — which could avoid the kind of major blowups that could come from trying to craft the kind of massive joint communiqué that has concluded almost all other G7 summits. Former prime minister Jean Chretien told a panel Thursday that if Trump does have an outburst, G7 leaders should ignore him and 'keep talking normally.' Miller said that for Canada, 'ensuring a positive agenda that doesn't lead to acrimony afterwards' means advancing its interests without isolating the U.S., particularly with so many guest leaders attending. 'The trick that Mr. Carney has to pull off is to reassure the U.S. that it wants a good, positive relationship — while at the same time running vigorously, as quickly as possible, to try to build new relationships,' he said. It's also entirely possible that Trump will leave before the meetings conclude. A visiting felon Keeping it positive is also likely why Ottawa will skirt rules that might bar Trump from crossing into Canada after he was found guilty on 34 criminal counts in a 'hush money' trial in May 2024. Immigration lawyers say those convicted of serious crimes abroad must serve their time and wait five years before seeking a certificate of admissibility to Canada, though there are loopholes if someone seeks a visa for a compelling reason. The federal cabinet passed a formal order published in February that gives diplomatic immunity and privileges to 'representatives of a foreign state that participate in the G7 meetings.' Fore! Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. Another way Canada could ensure a successful visit could be to get Trump to the Kananaskis Country Golf Course — a prospect much discussed in media reports that remained unconfirmed as of Friday afternoon. Carney gave Trump a hat and golf gear from that course during his visit to the Oval Office in May. Miller said that wasn't just a gimmick — Trump loves making deals while teeing off, and it could provide Carney or others with hours of facetime on a golf cart, which is Trump's comfort zone. 'Golf has been pretty central to his life,' he said. 'It makes eminent sense to have Mr. Trump playing at a high-quality golf course.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 14, 2025.
Global News
3 hours ago
- Global News
What are the stakes for Canada as it hosts the G7 leaders' summit?
Canada is set to host leaders from the world's largest economies for the annual G7 summit beginning Sunday, and the stakes could not be higher. U.S. President Donald Trump's multi-front trade war has countries scrambling to get their tariffs lowered. Ceasefires have failed to stick in Gaza and Ukraine. Allies are collectively focused on boosting their defences to counter China, Russia and other threat actors. And the rise of artificial intelligence has opened up opportunities and risks on multiple fronts. For Prime Minister Mark Carney, it will mark his most high-profile stage yet as he seeks to both normalize relations with Trump and reposition Canada as an important ally. Here's what to expect over the course of the summit. Avoiding past discord, with U.S. deal possible The last time Canada hosted the G7 leader's summit was in 2018, and it quickly saw tensions flare. Story continues below advertisement Trump's clashes with then-prime minister Justin Trudeau and other leaders over trade led to the U.S. not endorsing the official G7 communique, and France's foreign minister dubbed the summit the 'G6 plus one.' A repeat of that spectacle would be a 'nightmare scenario' for both Canada and the alliance, Allen Sens, a political science professor at the University of British Columbia, said in an email. 10:54 Trump 'is not finished with tariffs' Since returning to office this year, Trump has only doubled down on actions that fuelled the discord at that earlier summit: imposing sweeping tariffs on allies, reversing or reducing climate change action, and reopening dialogue with Russia. Yet the scale of Trump's trade wars this time means leaders will likely be clamouring for their own deals on tariffs and other issues beyond the official G7 communique — including Canada. Story continues below advertisement The summit will mark the first time Carney and Trump will be face-to-face since their White House meeting in May. Pete Hoekstra, the U.S. ambassador to Canada, said Wednesday the two leaders see the gathering as an 'inflection point' in their direct negotiations toward a potential new deal. 'They're both going to be at the same place, they're both going to be in Canada, and there'd be lots of questions if there isn't something that is announced,' he said at an event in Ottawa. 'Until it happens, it's still a possibility.' What else will be discussed? Carney last week announced what he said were Canada's priorities for discussions at the G7 summit, all of which are aimed at 'building stronger economies.' Story continues below advertisement The Prime Minister's Office said Ottawa's top priority will be strengthening global peace and security, which includes countering foreign interference and transnational crime, as well as improving responses to wildfires. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Canada will focus on spurring economic growth by improving energy security, fortifying supply chains for critical minerals and accelerating the use of artificial intelligence. Lastly, Canada will discuss creating jobs by securing partnerships to open new markets and generate large infrastructure investments. G7 finance ministers and central bank governors who gathered in Banff last month ahead of the leaders' summit agreed to cooperate on pursuing economic growth, ensuring price stability and certainty, tackling financial crime, and supporting Ukraine. 'I would consider any communique that contains any substantive collective agreements on major issues to be a triumph, with a bland document the most likely outcome,' Sens told Global News. 1:42 G7 finance ministers agree on joint statement, no mention of tariffs David Perry, president of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, told Global News that Trump's influence will likely mean past issues of agreement — including shared initiatives on the environment and 'equity, diversity, and inclusion' — will either be less prominent or reduced altogether. Story continues below advertisement Yet he still believes agreements can be struck among the allies on issues of shared importance that go beyond the tensions Trump's tariffs have caused — particularly on energy security and artificial intelligence. The PMO said discussions will also include securing peace in Ukraine and other global conflicts, as well as 'a forward-looking agenda that engages partners beyond the G7.' Who else will attend? Other world leaders whose countries are not part of the G7 but who will attend the summit are the heads of Mexico, Brazil, South Korea, Australia, South Africa and Ukraine. The attendance of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum will mark the first time North American leaders will be together since Trump's trade wars threatened the Canada-United States-Mexico agreement on free trade (CUSMA) that's up for review next year. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he will ensure talks at the summit and other high-level gatherings in the weeks ahead don't lead to 'hollow' agreements on the war in his country. Story continues below advertisement Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also attend at Carney's invitation, a move that has attracted criticism from diaspora groups in Canada — including members of Carney's Liberal caucus. Modi's government has been accused of being involved in violence and intimidation against Sikh activists and politicians in Canada, including the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia in 2023. 6:02 International relations expert says India should have a seat at G7 table Carney's government also invited Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman to the summit, Global News has learned, but the Saudi leader has not yet publicly accepted the invitation. NDP foreign affairs critic Heather McPherson accused the government of turning the summit into a 'showcase of tyrants' with the invitations of bin Salman and Modi during question period on Tuesday. Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand responded that the G7 is 'a critical forum for global leaders to have productive and frank discussions.' Story continues below advertisement Vina Nadjibulla, vice-president of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, said Trump's election and the growing threat environment requires a 'different approach' to diplomatic relations, which is on display under Carney. The invitation to Modi was particularly necessary, she said, given the size of India's economy and strategic importance. She added that restoring the relationship with India could lead to further cooperation on the issue of transnational violence and foreign interference. 'I think we need to recognize that in today's more dangerous world, we need to be able to engage and have high-level talks with counties with whom we have serious disagreements,' she told Global News. 'Diplomacy is not a favour to our friends — it's a tool to advance our interests and protect our values.' Why Canada's leadership matters Perry said Canada will have its work cut out in chairing the G7, but agreed the timing was good that the responsibility came up this year, with Trump's trade war still in its early stages. Story continues below advertisement 'You do get to have a role in shaping things, and you do get to find yourself at a table that you arranged, literally, for a discussion that you helped set the agenda of, with the leaders of … most of the major economies in the world, including the president of the United States,' he said. 'It's a pretty unique role and opportunity for Canada.' He suggested the summit will also be a pivotal test for Carney as prime minister — not just in the relationship with Trump, but with the other leaders at that table. 'If the Prime Minister of Canada can't make good use of time with six world leaders and an opportunity of Canadian creation, he probably should be considering other lines of work,' he said.
Winnipeg Free Press
6 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Cities brace for large crowds at anti-Trump ‘No Kings' demonstrations across the US
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Cities large and small were preparing for major demonstrations Saturday across the U.S. against President Donald Trump, as officials urge calm, National Guard troops mobilize and Trump attends a military parade in Washington to mark the Army's 250th anniversary. A flagship 'No Kings' march and rally are planned in Philadelphia, but no events are scheduled to take place in Washington, D.C., where the military parade will take place on Trump's birthday The demonstrations are gaining additional fuel from protests flaring up around the country over federal immigration enforcement raids and Trump ordering National Guard troops and Marines to Los Angeles where protesters blocked a freeway and set cars on fire. Police responded with tear gas, rubber bullets and flash-bang grenades while officials enforced curfews in Los Angeles and Democratic governors called Trump's Guard deployment 'an alarming abuse of power' that 'shows the Trump administration does not trust local law enforcement.' Governors and city officials vowed to protect the right to protest and to show no tolerance for violence. Republican governors in Virginia, Texas, Nebraska and Missouri are mobilizing National Guard troops to help law enforcement manage demonstrations. There will be 'zero tolerance' for violence, destruction or disrupting traffic, and 'if you violate the law, you're going to be arrested,' Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin told reporters Friday. In Missouri, Gov. Mike Kehoe issued a similar message, vowing to take a proactive approach and not to 'wait for chaos to ensue.' Nebraska's governor on Friday also signed an emergency proclamation for activating his state's National Guard, a step his office called 'a precautionary measure in reaction to recent instances of civil unrest across the country.' Organizers say that one march will go to the gates of Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, where Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis warned demonstrators that the 'line is very clear' and not to cross it. Governors also urged calm. On social media, Washington state Gov. Bob Ferguson, a Democrat, called for peaceful protests over the weekend, to ensure Trump doesn't send military to the state. 'Donald Trump wants to be able to say that we cannot handle our own public safety in Washington state,' Ferguson said. In a statement Friday, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, urged 'protestors to remain peaceful and calm as they exercise their First Amendment right to make their voices heard.' Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, said his administration and state police are working with police in Philadelphia ahead of what organizers estimate could be a crowd approaching 100,000 people. Philadelphia's top prosecutor, District Attorney Larry Krasner, warned that anyone coming to Philadelphia to break the law or immigration agents exceeding their authority will face arrest. He invoked civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. as a guide for demonstrators. 'If you are doing what Martin Luther King would have done, you're going to be fine,' Krasner told a news conference. Some law enforcement agencies announced they were ramping up efforts for the weekend. In California, state troopers will be on 'tactical alert,' which means all days off are cancelled for all officers. Why is it called 'No Kings'? The 'No Kings' theme was orchestrated by the 50501 Movement, to support democracy and against what they call the authoritarian actions of the Trump administration. The name 50501 stands for 50 states, 50 protests, one movement. Protests earlier this year have denounced Trump and billionaire adviser Elon Musk. Protesters have called for Trump to be 'dethroned' as they compare his actions to that of a king and not a democratically elected president. Why are they protesting on Saturday? The No Kings Day of Defiance has been organized to reject authoritarianism, billionaire-first politics and the militarization of the country's democracy, according to a statement by organizers. Organizers intend for the protests to counter the Army's 250th anniversary celebration — which Trump has ratcheted up to include a military parade, which is estimated to cost $25 million to $45 million that the Army expects to attract as many as 200,000 people. The event will feature hundreds of military vehicles and aircraft and thousands of soldiers. It also happens to be Trump's 79th birthday and Flag Day. 'The flag doesn't belong to President Trump. It belongs to us,' the 'No Kings' website says. 'On June 14th, we're showing up everywhere he isn't — to say no thrones, no crowns, no kings.' What is planned at the 'No Kings' protests? Protests in nearly 2,000 locations are scheduled around the country, from city blocks to small towns, from courthouse steps to community parks, organizers said. Demonstrations are expected to include speeches and marches, organizers said in a call Wednesday. The group says a core principle behind all 'No Kings' events is a commitment to nonviolent action, and participants are expected to seek to de-escalate any confrontation. No weapons of any kind should be taken to 'No Kings' events, according to the website. How many people are expected to participate? The No Kings Day of Defiance is expected to be the largest single-day mobilization since Trump returned to office, organizers said. Organizers said they are preparing for millions of people to take to the streets across all 50 states and commonwealths.
