Canadian politician promises Drake he only attended Kendrick Lamar show for SZA
It's been eons since we got a political update the majority of the world would call 'good,' but at least this one is more within the category of 'exceedingly dumb' than 'Earth-shatteringly heinous.' We're talking, of course, about Drake's new beef with Jagmeet Singh, the former leader of Canada's New Democratic Party, which is unsurprisingly related to the rapper's old beef with Kendrick Lamar.
Last week, Lamar and SZA performed two sold out shows on their Grand National tour in Toronto, aka Drake's home city. Tens of thousands of Drake's countrymen pledged their allegiance to the enemy by scooping up a ticket to sing 'Not Like Us' in his backyard, one of whom was Singh. After photos of the politician emerged from the show, Drake took to Instagram to express his disappointment in the fellow Canadian. 'You're a goof,' he wrote in a DM to Singh, which he then screenshotted and posted on his own story, per Billboard.
Those fightin' words clearly got to Singh, who publicly apologized for his attendance at the show a few hours later. 'I went for SZA, not Kendrick,' he posted in his own Instagram story. 'I was born in this city. I love this city.'
'But real talk, I get it. I shouldn't have gone at all,' he continued, lauding Drake and his label, OVO, for 'lift[ing] up this city and [Canadian flag emoji].' 'For me it'll always be Drake over Kendrick,' he concluded. At least it's nice to see a politician apologizing for once.
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Mark Carney , Donald Trump and other world leaders are meeting in Kananaskis, Alta., for the 51st G7 summit. Follow the Star's live coverage here. Prime Minister of Canada Mark Carney arrives on Parliament Hill before a meeting with Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Keir Starmer in Ottawa on Sunday, June 15, 2025. CALGARY — Prime Minister Mark Carney has a chance to make a breakthrough in talks to lift tariffs on Canada when he sits down for a one-on-one discussion with U.S. President Donald Trump Monday before the Kananaskis G7 summit kicks off. Carney has a dual mission as he hosts this week's meeting of the world's leading democratic economies: to lead talks that end in G7 consensus, not insults, on a gamut of global challenges, from the economy, and energy security, to international security. And, in his talks with Trump, to try to achieve a breakthrough on negotiations toward a 'new economic and security agreement.' The prime minister says any deal must include the U.S. dropping so-called 'border-related' emergency tariffs, steel and aluminum tariffs, and auto tariffs that Trump wielded against Canada. Prime Minister Mark Carney touched down in Alberta, for the three-day G7 summit set in the secluded Kananaskis wilderness near Calgary. (June 15, 2025 / The Canadian Press) However, federal sources who have spoken to the Star over the past several days in advance of the summit have downplayed the prospect of a deal emerging from their bilateral meeting, while acknowledging things could change quickly. 'Obviously the condition for us participating in a new defence and security partnership is that tariffs are lifted,' Dominic LeBlanc, Carney's minister leading the Canada-U.S. file, said in an interview with the Star. 'The Prime Minister has said that to the President.' If not, LeBlanc said, Carney has prepared 'a series of options' to increase Canada's own counterpunch to the Americans. A show of maintained unity on geopolitical problems will be seen as success after President 'The government will look at all of the potential ways to increase pressure on the Americans if we conclude that we're not close to or on the verge of a discussion that would give us the deal that would see all of these tariffs lifted.' 'The Prime Minister will decide over the coming days or weeks how he wants to proceed,' LeBlanc said. But LeBlanc said their talks don't amount to a quid pro quo negotiation, in which Canada simply pays billions more for defence or to participate in the Golden Dome and tariffs are subsequently dropped. LeBlanc said that characterization makes it sound like a 'take it or leave it' discussion, whereas the minister who has been shuttling back and forth between Ottawa and Washington characterized it as a more 'nuanced' conversation, in which LeBlanc 'totally' sees as a path to zero tariffs, despite suggestions by Trump's ambassador that's not in the cards. Furthermore, Canada is ready to reopen deeper trilateral talks if the U.S. insists on turning next year's scheduled review of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico trade deal into a renegotiation, but LeBlanc said the U.S. has not demanded that. 'We're all in on a trilateral Canada-U.S.-Mexico agreement. And we're happy to work with the Americans in reviewing that,' the minister said. There is no trilateral meeting scheduled at this time between Trump, Carney and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who is also attending the G7 session that includes other world leaders. For now, Canada-U.S. talks are focused on a bilateral agreement aimed at nailing what Carney called a more comprehensive economic and security partnership, as he said repeatedly during the campaign. Carney told Radio-Canada host Patrice Roy on Wednesday that while he and Trump have made 'progress' there is no agreement yet 'ready for signing,' — which other Canadian officials who spoke to the Star on a background basis over the past two days echoed. 'We can wait,' said Carney. 'We're becoming stronger and the Americans are becoming weaker.' The prime minister noted that 'no country has free trade with the United States right now. Other countries are getting reductions in tariffs but not the elimination of tariffs.' Carney said he thinks he has a good rapport with Trump 'but he is negotiating in the interest of Americans and I am negotiating for Canada and there is a vision of the trading world that is very different than our vision, and the vision of big countries in Asia, for example. So we have to find a solution.' Meanwhile, Carney is pursuing and very publicly touting stronger alliances with other like-minded countries, downing beers Saturday with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer as they watched a hockey game, and meeting Sunday on Parliament Hill in Ottawa before heading to the G7 summit. World leaders are set to gather in Kananaskis, Alberta as Canada hosts a high-stakes G7 summit focused on trade, diplomacy, and global cooperation. (June 14, 2025 / The Canadian Press) A joint statement Carney and Starmer issued highlighted their shared belief in the importance of 'fair, open and predictable global trading system; reiterated their commitment to a rules-based international order underpinned by respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity; and committed to advancing peace and trans-Atlantic security.' The prime minister said in the Radio-Canada interview it is possible to make progress at the G7 on Ukraine, noting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump, the head of NATO along with France and the U.K. as leaders of a 'coalition of the willing' will all be there, in advance of a key NATO summit later this month. Carney underscored, 'there will never be a solution without Ukraine. We are going to respect the territorial integrity of Ukraine.' How to address Ukraine and the economic fallout from his global tariff war will put Trump potentially at odds with other leaders, yet many are also seeking bilateral trade discussions with him on the sidelines. Trump told reporters Wednesday he is dealing with 'about 15 countries' and hopes to send letters out 'in about a week and a half, two weeks' on where those negotiations have landed. But on Sunday before departing Washington he suggested some new trade deals would be nailed down at the summit. Leaders from the world's richest countries will gather for a Group of Seven summit, starting Sunday, even as U.S. President Donald Trump wages a trade war against them. Later in June Trump is scheduled to attend a NATO summit in Europe. (AP Video / June 13, 2025) 'Look we have our trade deals. all we have to do is send a letter, this is what you're going to have to pay. But I think we'll have a few new trade deals' at the summit, Trump said Sunday en route to Kananaskis. When the president doubled steel and aluminum tariffs from 25 per cent to 50 per cent, Carney did not immediately retaliate heading into the G7 summit, despite calls from domestic steel companies and unions who also want the Carney government to lift counter-tariff exemptions (known as remissions) on U.S. steel. The government has, however, acted on their demand to tighten tariffs against other foreign countries who are suspected of dumping cheap steel into the Canadian market. Trump was to arrive in Calgary Sunday, along with a number of his cabinet members, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick were expected to attend. Airplane enthusiasts are setting up at the Calgary International Airport in hopes of seeing some exciting aircraft land for the start of the G7 leaders' summit in nearby Kananaskis, Alta. A group gathered at an airport viewing area in hopes of seeing Air Force 1 carrying U.S. President Donald Trump. (June 15, 2025 / The Canadian Press) Carney has scheduled a Tuesday morning bilateral meeting with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, an official said. The invitation to Modi drew sharp criticism in Canada. However Carney justified including Modi at the G7 outreach session, saying as leader of the world's most populous country, Modi's presence at talks on economic challenges such as harnessing critical minerals, artificial intelligence and quantum computing was important. He said Modi's government has agreed to co-operate with Canadian law enforcement agencies investigating foreign interference including the alleged assassination of a Canadian citizen at the direction of Indian government agents. Carney is expected to have about 16 bilateral meetings on the margins of the G7 sessions, said another Canadian official. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith along with Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek greeted Carney as he and his wife Diana Fox Carney's plane landed. They spoke for a few minutes in a brief and apparently cordial exchange, before the prime minister headed downtown for one-on-one meetings with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, the G20 host who said he'd come to learn from Carney how to throw a summit. Albanese told Carney, 'We have very similar economies, historically. We share a vast continent, very vast,' Albanese said. 'You get your own continent,' Carney quipped. In the evening Carney met in Kananaskis with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Several G7 countries stated ahead of the summit that one of their top priorities heading into the meetings was to find a consensus on how to help Ukraine achieve a lasting ceasefire with Russia. However, with the sudden escalation of hostilities in the Middle East after Israel struck Iran's nuclear facilities and killed key military leaders, and Iran responded with missile attacks on Israel, global security is top of mind. 'Obviously, the conflict with Israel and Iran is centrepiece,' Starmer told reporters at his meeting with Carney Sunday. 'And this provides the opportunity to talk to our co-leaders about the fast-moving situation, and to make our strong case together that there must be de-escalation of this conflict in the interests of the region, and of course the world.' This G7 legacy project deploys Grade 6 students to help cut down berry bushes that could attract bears. KANANASKIS, ALTA — When the yellow school bus came to a halt this morning, Emily Marinelli, 12, wasn't convinced she was going to enjoy this. But now she's in the swing of things. She adjusts her safety gloves and jams the shears that are half her height into the base of a bush, lopping off a buffalo berry branch with an authoritative thwack. 'We're cutting them down so that they don't have to euthanize or kill the bears,' she said, holding out a severed branch, her safety goggles perched on her pink-streaked hair. Drawn in equal parts to forest and sunlight, the berry bushes often grow alongside road and trails, acting as the gateway snack that draws grizzlies and black bears out of the trees and into the path of humans. Sometimes even high-profile humans. 'We're in the area where the G7 is going to be,' she explains, waving at the mountains behind her. This G7 legacy project deploys Grade 6 students to help cut down berry bushes that could attract bears. The gathering was always going to be high stakes. It's set against the backdrop of a volatile American-driven trade war and high-profile conflicts in Europe and the Middle East. Leaders from the U.K., France, Germany, Japan, Italy will be in attendance, and of course, U.S. President Donald Trump. Host countries also have the right to invite others — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to attend, while Carney's government has also reached out to leaders whose invitations raised controversy, including India's Narendra Modi and Saudi Arabia's Mohammad bin Salman . The Grade 6 students aren't the first line of defence against bears for the meeting. Their particular G7 project is largely educational: these bushes won't produce berries until fall, after the leaders are back home, and in any case, a newly constructed eight-foot fence now surrounds the hotel hosting the summit. But even having to consider bear intrusion plans is part of what makes hosting the G7 in Kananaskis — which will mean welcoming upwards of 5,000 people to a small wilderness refuge and surrounding areas — such a Herculean logistical task. It's one of the biggest security jobs the RCMP has ever faced — one that includes guarding against everything from cybersecurity threats to protesters to lack of cell reception to yes, bears. The RCMP says air restrictions will be in place in two main areas during the upcoming G7 Leaders' Summit in Alberta this June. Sgt. Mark Basanta from RCMP Protective Operations says the no-fly zones will include both the Calgary International Airport and Kananaskis, where the leaders will be. (May 30, 2025 / The Canadian Press) 'If we were doing this in Toronto, like the 2010 G20, that has its own challenges,' says RCMP Chief Supt. David Hall, the director of the interagency team that has been planning security measures for the meeting for almost a year. (The gathering in Toronto saw massive antiglobalization protests that, while largely peaceful, also saw storefronts smashed and police cars torched. Hundreds were arrested.) G20 summit protesters clash with riot police in downtown Toronto on Saturday, June 26, 2010. 'If you talked to those planners they'd probably say, 'man, I wish I could do it in a remote area, maybe a little bit more secluded,' Hall said. 'You just manage the challenge you're faced with.' Of course, isolation may be partially the point. This will be a repeat performance for Kananaskis, which hosted the then-G8 in 2002. (Russia is no longer in the group, rendering the G8 a G7.) There had been fiery protests at the summit in Italy the year prior and the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center had fed fears of terrorism. Then-prime minister Jean Chrétien switched the location from Ottawa to get back to basics but also because, as political scientist John Kirton wrote that year, Kananaskis was 'difficult for civil society protesters and terrorists to get to and easy for security forces to defend.' Anyone who ventured closer, he added, 'are more likely to require search and rescue services from the Canadian Armed Forces standing guard than to inflict any other inconvenience on them.' Covering a swath of hills and mountains between Calgary and Banff National Park, Kananaskis Country is roughly two-thirds the size of the Greater Toronto Area. The meetings themselves are being held in Kananaskis Village (though the word 'village' might be overstating the case, slightly) which includes a hotel, golf course and nordic spa. There are mountain ranges on all sides, little to no local services, and mostly neighbours of the four-legged variety. If you're not looking to climb a mountain, the only access is to leave the Trans-Canada Highway and travel 20 minutes down a two-lane highway that caps speed at 90 km/hour, in part because of the erratic way the road curves and dips through the mountain valley, and in part because of the deer and bighorn sheep and bear that regularly wander into the road. In a boon to local hikers and canoe paddlers, cell reception has been installed on the road, which was previously largely a communications black hole. 'It's a lot of geography to secure, an we have plans that enable us to do that, and we've invested in a lot of different technology that will help secure that space and give us that situational awareness,' Hall says. A black bear roams the Rocky Mountains in Alberta. In the days before this year's G7, the patio tables were tarped over and the spa pools at the hotel sat empty, the tranquility of a pond between buildings interrupted only by two men in reflective vests debating where to place the sections of fence stacked on the back of their pickup. Staffers in G7 lanyards perused the plaid sweaters at the still-open gift shop. As the summit approaches, an escalating series of security measures have been put in place, with a local ski area, nearby hiking trails and even a few benches with a scenic view of the river blocked off by yellow tape. The Royal Canadian Air Force has been flying helicopters over the trees at night. The pine trees around the hotel are now dotted with security cameras mounted with shiny new screws and hikers in the area have reported venturing into the forest only to run into the military. 'The remoteness affects accommodations, so all the security personnel need somewhere to sleep and eat,' Hall says. 'We've had to take measures around supplying food and water to our folks, and then factoring in the time if they're commuting from hotels and other communities, what does that do to their shifts and how long they're working? And that affects the number of people we need.' One hotel isn't enough to house everyone, so many participants will be staying in Calgary and the town of Banff, which is an hour away. (If one wonders about the ability of a single hotel to cater to almost a dozen of the most influential people on earth, all presumably accustomed to presidential accommodations, Hall says they will not be commenting on where, exactly, everyone will be sleeping.) But when it comes to getting staff out to Kananaskis, Hall says they've had to stock up on food and water for staff and factor in the travel time from Calgary or Banff when planning out shifts. It's also a challenging location for those looking to express dissent. Protesters won't be able to get to the actual summit location. Designated protest zones have been set up in Calgary and Banff, though the RCMP says the protesters' message will be ' broadcast ' to the G7 leaders. Some activist leaders have said that they have no desire to antagonize police but may not remain inside the zones — something they're not legally required to do. Hundreds of protesters and dozens of groups protest at Calgary City Hall as world leaders arrive for the start of a three-day summit in Kananaskis, Alta. Some said they were there to take a stand against the policies of U.S. President Donald Trump. (June 15, 2025 / The Canadian Press) Less than a week before the summit, a controlled access zone is in place that will include a 14-kilometre stretch of road and the surrounding mountain ranges, restricting anyone from getting within several kilometres of the village, in a car or on foot. The day before meetings get underway, a no-fly zone will drop around both Kananaskis Village and the Calgary airport, inside of which unauthorized aircraft or drones risk interception by a Canadian Armed Forces F-18. None of which matters much to the animals that are already there. Both black bears and grizzlies are plentiful in the area where the G7 is being held. (They're particularly fond of the dandelions and other greenery around the golf course, bear experts say.) Among the security forces that will be on hand are conservation officers who be ready to deal with any rogue wildlife. The danger is not non-existent or exclusive to humans. The last time Kananaskis hosted, a bear got too close to the venue and, when officials tried to shoo it away, it fell out of a tree and was injured badly enough that it had to be euthanized. In addition to the fences, the locations of some local bears are monitored and wildlife officers will be standing by to 'haze' any problem bears out of the area by scaring them or ushering them along. 'If you just watch a bear do its normal thing, it's actually really nice,' says Miles Mackinnon, another Grade 6 student who has just used his clippers to make quick work of several buffalo berry bushes growing among the trees next to a parking lot near the G7 site. 'They're really graceful, and they walk really smoothly.' He's glad to be helping remove the berry bushes that risk drawing bears into contact with humans, which he hopes will allow the bears to live their lives peacefully without interference from people. The area makes sense for a serious meeting like this, because it's peaceful, he adds. At least until the motorcades arrive. Prime Minister Mark Carney at Parliament Hill in Ottawa on June 6, 2025. It would be safe — perhaps even generous — to say that Prime Minister Mark Carney is navigating a minefield of diplomatic hazards, moral compromise, and geopolitical volatility as the G7 unfolds this week in Kananaskis, Alberta. Turn right, and you might face the Prime Minister of India — whose government stands accused by Canada of orchestrating an assassination on Canadian soil. Turn left, and there's the President of Mexico, a nation whose relationship with Canada was recently described as at a six-year low . Look back, and — oh yea — there's the orange menace to the south, who has repeatedly threatened to rip up trade deals, undermine our alliances, and repeatedly hinted at annexation. And that's not even counting the controversial invitees who passed. The risks are so glaring that many have started asking what sounds like a perfectly reasonable question: with so many potential pitfalls, why risk controversy? Why roll out the red carpet for leaders with questionable democratic credentials? Why not aim for the safest possible summit and avoid unnecessary entanglements? To those asking such questions, I would pose another: what country — and what prime minister — have you been watching? Because to ask those questions is to fundamentally misunderstand the style, strategy, and ambitions of Mark Carney. What the Prime Minister understands is this: Canada is not, at this moment, operating from a position of default influence. After years of missteps, drift, and diplomatic fatigue, credibility must be earned back — not assumed. And in that rebuilding effort, there are no 'risk-free' moves. There is no 'safe play' that leads to restored status. It's not a matter of risk versus reward — it's all risk. Because the cost of caution, at this point, is irrelevance. Carney's mandate, as he has said repeatedly, is not to return things to 'business as usual' — it's to reset the terms entirely. Because here's the truth: Carney may have successfully turned the page from Justin Trudeau for Canadians. But he now needs to do the same for Canada on the world stage. And that requires both substance and style. Substantively, Carney made a shrewd and necessary move by pre-emptively reaffirming Canada's commitment to meet NATO's two per cent GDP defence target by this year — and exceed it by 2030. It wasn't just a policy statement; it was strategic table-setting. It was a down payment on seriousness. A demonstration that Canada is no longer phoning it in. That we understand the price of admission for a seat at the table — without being considered the freeloading distant relative that only comes calling when he needs something. And now for the style. If you think personality and tone don't matter in geopolitics, just ask Donald Trump — whose animus for Justin Trudeau was visceral and deeply personal. Relationships matter. Posture matters. So, this may well be Carney's Nixon-in-China moment. Precisely because of his technocratic credentials, his reputation for caution, and his short runway as a political actor — Carney has the credibility to go bold. To sit across from the world's leaders and say: whatever grievances you had with the last guy, this is a new chapter. That is the unique power of hosting. You get to set the table. You get to choose the tone. And right now, Canada must seize both opportunities — not just to manage the moment, but to reintroduce itself to the world. Now is not the time to play it safe. A Canada flag and an Alberta flag flap in the breeze with Wedge Mountain in the background at the site of the G7 leaders meeting in Kananaskis, Alta. OTTAWA — A rapidly escalating war in the Middle East and threats by Russia to exact revenge on Ukraine have thrust global security on the front burner of looming talks for the world's top leaders. A G7 summit turns not just on the star power of the leaders who show up — and this year all eyes are on U.S. President Donald Trump — but it especially turns on the geopolitical moment in which it is held. So the Canada-hosted meeting of leading western democratic economies, along with other major and 'middle power' players, is suddenly a more potentially fraught one. Israel's targeted strikes on Iran Thursday, Iran's retaliatory bombings Friday, warnings from the U.S. and calls for immediate de-escalation, including by Canada, are just the latest alarming developments. Russia's vow to retaliate for Ukraine's successful drone strikes on its air fleet, as Trump attempts to drive a U.S.-led negotiated deal, are another. 'Russia is simply lying to Trump,' said Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this week, ahead of his arrival in Kananaskis, Alta. Then there are Trump's global tariffs that the World Bank says is a drag on the world's economic growth. Prime Minister Mark Carney as G7 host faces a massive challenge to find common ground for the Group of Seven leaders to emerge with any consensus on the burning issues of our time. He's already ditched expectations of a single joint communiqué out of concern it could be upended unexpectedly, as happened last time Canada hosted the G7 and Trump stomped all over it. Navigating heightened geopolitical tensions at this moment is harder than it looks. South Africa, which hosts the G20 later this year, says Canada must show leadership at what is 'a very precarious time,' and seek 'sufficient consensus' — not unanimity — to drive action to resolve the major conflicts, according to its top envoy to Canada. 'Can the G7 meet and ignore the fact that we are on the brink of a nuclear war? I mean, what then would be the purpose of the G7' asked South African High Commissioner to Canada Rieaz Shaik, who hopes there will be strong declarations that result. He said unilateral actions that violated rules and were met by 'impunity' from the multilateral systems and institutions meant to address them are the source of most of the world's current conflicts, pointing to the Russia-Ukraine war, and the U.S.-led tariff war, with the Israel-Iran eruptions the most immediate threat. 'Now is the time for enormous shuttle diplomacy between countries,' Shaik said. 'Under Carney,' he added, 'there's a unique opportunity, there's a unique moment for middle powers to come together to create a strong enough alliance to build sufficient consensus. And that is why we are here, why we have come to this G7.' A senior Canadian official, who gave a background-only briefing to reporters, said the G7 is a group where consensus is essential to its functioning. That's why sources have told the Star Carney is aiming for a short crisp chair's statement, and possibly summaries of other sessions. However, as of Thursday, only one — on fighting wildfires — seemed achievable, while another G7 source said days ago there was no declaration yet in the works on Ukraine. A lot of hard work will also be done in bilateral meetings — and as of Friday, the PMO said Carney will try to meet as many leaders as possible on the sidelines. But no trilateral meeting between Trump, Carney and Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum was yet scheduled. Leaders from the world's richest countries will gather for a Group of Seven summit, starting Sunday, even as U.S. President Donald Trump wages a trade war against them. Later in June Trump is scheduled to attend a NATO summit in Europe. (AP Video / June 13, 2025) Before the Israel-Iran explosion of violence, war between Russia and Ukraine was identified by many of the G7 countries which include the U.S, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan, and EU leaders, as their top priority. British High Commissioner to Canada Rob Tinline in an interview said 'The G7 has driven action in support of Ukraine, put pressure on Russia and it will be important that that continues and obviously the presence, the fact Ukraine is there, is important symbolically but also in substance.' German Ambassador Matthias Lüttenberg said 'the key message, as always in G7 summits, is a message of unity, so that we will manage to leave this summit and saying yes, we have agreed, be it statements or be it — I don't know what sort of agreements — but that would be a success. 'We have so many challenges right now, not only as the G7 but worldwide, and we have the responsibility of the G7 to give some answers to these most pressing challenges,' said Lüttenberg. 'Success, to me would be unity, if we manage to find a common response to the Russian challenge.' 'Everybody knows today is almost the turning point of history,' said Japanese Ambassador Kanji Yamanouchi, listing Ukraine, Middle East, and global economic and environmental issues as critical for the G7. Japan's turn hosting the G7 two years ago focused a lot on the need for multilateral co-operation on harnessing critical minerals, artificial intelligence and quantum computing to tackle major problems, including national security, and Yamanouchi says the G7 can focus on the 'pros and cons, the light and the shadows' of emerging technologies to 'not regulate, but to set guidance' for the world. 'Candid opinion and frank discussion, I think that is the only way to reach to the middle ground where all those G7 countries can agree or can work together. And I think the key word is unity and solidarity of G7 and we need to show it to the world,' he said. Unity may be desirable, but it's not necessarily achievable. G7 foreign ministers had in March jointly reaffirmed 'unwavering support for Ukraine in defending its territorial integrity and right to exist, and its freedom, sovereignty and independence' and backed calls for Russia to agree on an immediate and enforceable ceasefire. But they only 'discussed' further sanctions if Russia did not agree, including caps on oil prices, and more support for Ukraine including 'the use of extraordinary revenues stemming from immobilized Russian sovereign assets.' Canada has strongly advocated for Russian assets to be not just frozen, but seized and turned over to Ukraine. That's a bridge too far for some. Countries like France and Germany, for example, do not have the legal means to do so. Tinline, Britain's envoy, said it's 'quite a complicated legal picture. The powers that we've got have increased. In terms of action against Russia, we have expanded the powers that we've had in terms of sanctions, in terms of freezing and seizing assets over the years,' but he added 'it's a new territory where all of the G7 need to work together to try and kind of, you know, within each of our legal systems to develop.' South Africa's envoy to Canada says at this point, those discussions amount to tinkering around the edges of what's needed, which is a 'concerted effort to get Russia and Ukraine to the table to genuinely end this war.' Days ago, Carney laid out the case for Canada to swiftly ramp up annual military spending to meet its NATO targets in a speech that suddenly looks more like a curtain-raiser on what he's likely to underscore in G7. 'Threats from a more dangerous and divided world are unravelling the rules-based international order — an order fused by the settlements at the ends of the Second World War and the Cold War — an order on which Canada has relied for longer than most of our lifetimes.' The consequences of that are 'profound,' said Carney, but he argued that Canada can work toward new international partnerships 'that are more secure, prosperous, just, and free' and pursue 'deeper alliances with stable democracies who share our interests, values, principles, and history.' 'And we can help create a new era of integration between like-minded partners that maximizes mutual support over mutual dependency — a new system of co-operation that promotes greater resilience, rather than merely greater efficiency.' With that ambitious goal in mind, and on top of the G7 members, Carney will host the heads of the UN, NATO and the World Bank, along with Brazil, South Africa, India, the United Arab Emirates, South Korea, Ukraine, Mexico and Australia. The White House has confirmed that in addition to meeting Carney, Trump will hold bilateral meetings at the G7 with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum. And here is a list of the American officials accompanying Trump: Good morning from Banff, where Canadian media and others are gathering at the international media centre for a security sweep of our gear before boarding bus shuttles to Kananaskis. U.S. President Donald Trump touched down in Calgary yesterday evening and a huge chopper convoy ferried him up to Kananaskis. The bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney is scheduled for 9 a.m. local time (11 a.m. Eastern). I'm hoping for a spot inside the room at the start, but a lottery will determine access. Meanwhile my colleague Alex Ballingall will also file updates here. On the eve of the summit, EU Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen, who meets Prime Minister Mark Carney one-on-one at noon today, said she will 'step up' the Canada-EU relationship. Von der Leyen signalled she and Carney will nail down details of Canada's participation in the European rearmament project, and that they would sign off on new defence and security partnership at the Canada-EU summit to take place June 23 in Brussels ahead of the NATO summit. 'This is a moment where we can strengthen Canada's role in Europe's rapidly evolving defence architecture,' she said at a late evening news conference in Kananaskis. Von der Leyen said Canada can participate via a program known as ' Safe .' It is a €150 billion financial instrument program for EU countries that facilitates joint procurement of military equipment. 'There is a possibility for very close allies, friends and partners to join. And here, Canada and the European Union are working together, to develop and sign' a new 'Security and Defence Partnership' that Von der Leyen said 'will basically open the door for joint talks with Canada.' Carney has eyed this as a way of weaning Canada off its overreliance on U.S. defence suppliers (where he says Canada spends more than 70 per cent of its defence procurement dollars), and his government has suggested that could one day mean buying Swedish fighter jets that could be built in Quebec. Sources told the Star that countries like Germany and France are eying better access to niche Canadian defence technologies where Canada already has a good reputation, for example in aviation simulators or marine combat management systems. Our bus is arriving at Kananaskis . We just passed French President Emmanuel Macron out for a morning run with a couple of bodyguards . European Council President Antonio Costa will also attend the bilateral with Carney at noon. The European leaders underscored this G7 summit comes at a critical time with uncertainty straining the global economy, and conflicts across the world. EU Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen appealed for humanitarian aid to be delivered in Gaza and said she backed Israel's right to defend itself, and said Iran must 'never' be allowed to develop nuclear weapons. At the same time, she said, 'diplomatic solution remains the best way in the long run to address concerns about Iran's nuclear program.' On Ukraine, Von der Leyen insisted sanctions 'are working' and said the G7 should do more to crank up pressure on Russia. Zelenskyy has 'shown the willingness to agree to an unconditional ceasefire. President Putin on the other hand has escalated attacks on Ukraine. To achieve peace through strength we must put more pressure on Russia to secure a real ceasefire, to bring Russia to the negotiating table, and to end this war. Sanctions are critical to that end,' she said. The European leaders, who are also 'deep into' negotiations with Donald Trump to get to 'zero tariffs,' made a plea for a return to free and fair global trade. 'We need a frank discussion among the G7 partners,' said Von der Leyen, who took direct aim at rising protectionism, even as she said G7 countries together need to confront aggressive 'non-market' practices by countries that don't play by the rules. 'Restoring a sense of stability and predictability among ourselves, that is the first priority. We are so deeply connected, which means also that risks must be managed together. Because tariffs, for example, do not just impact exporters. They are like taxes, paid by families and businesses in importing countries. 'So let us keep trade between us fair, predictable and open. All of us need to avoid protectionist measures. This is an important message that the G7 can send to the markets and to the world.' A protester walks in front of Calgary Police vehicle during a march in downtown Calgary on June 15, 2025 in Calgary, Alberta. Hundreds of protesters held a rally at Calgary City Hall and marched through downtown as the G7 Summit gets underway in Kananaskis with leaders from the United States, Canada, Britain, France, Japan, Italy, and Germany. The Summit runs through June 17. CALGARY—As world leaders gather at the G7 summit in Kananaskis, Alta., Lesley Boyer has a message. The Calgary grandmother is angry that U.S. President Donald Trump keeps talking about Canada becoming his country's 51st state. Sitting in a wheelchair at Calgary City Hall on Sunday, Boyer held up a sign with an expletive aimed at Trump. 'I've been waving my sign around the cameras and hopefully he'll see it … go away Trump. We don't want you here,' she said. Boyer was among several hundred people — including labour, youth, Indigenous, political and environmental activists — protesting before most of the G7 leaders had touched down in the city. Trump arrived late Sunday at the Calgary airport before taking a helicopter to the summit site at Kananaskis in the Rocky Mountains. He was to meet with Prime Minister Mark Carney on Monday morning before the official summit was to begin. 'I had a once in a lifetime opportunity to put myself on the right side of history. It's close enough,' Boyer said. 'I can come with my mobility issues and have my say, and I thought it was really important to get out there and say something.' Read more from the Canadian Press President Donald Trump has arrived for the G7, or Group of Seven, summit in Canada, a country he's suggested should be annexed, as he wages a trade war with America's longstanding allies. If there's a shared mission at this year's G7 summit, which begins Monday in the Rocky Mountains, it's a desire to minimize any fireworks at a moment of combustible tensions. Trump is expected to have a busy schedule on the first day of the G7 conference. His schedule, according to the White House: 9 a.m. — Trump participates in a bilateral meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney 10 a.m. — Trump will attend the event's official welcome 10:30 a.m. — Session one 12:30 p.m. — Session two 2:45 p.m. — Session three 5:45 p.m. — Time for a group photo 6:15 p.m. — Session four 9 p.m. — Trump will attend a 'cultural event' As things get underway, a few storylines to watch for outside the Big Show on trade and tariffs. One of them is the conflict between Israel and Iran, as the countries continue to fire missiles at each other for a fourth day. Yesterday, Canada's foreign affairs minister, Anita Anand, stressed the need for 'diplomacy and the reduction of tensions.' Israel's ambassador to Canada, Iddo Moed, put out a statement yesterday that called on G7 leaders to put pressure on Iran and help Israel prevent the Islamic theocracy form getting nuclear weapons. Another thing to watch for will be how Prime Minister Mark Carney interacts with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, amid concerns and anger over his presence at the summit after allegations from the Canadian government and RCMP that India has been involved in threats to Canadians and was linked to the murder of a Sikh leader in British Columbia. Here's a story we wrote about that last week . Posters are handed out as people participate in a protest organized by Sikh groups against the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Canada for the G7 Summit, on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Saturday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is also at the summit, at a time when the U.S. has softened its support for the eastern European country defending itself against Russian invaders. Leaders are also supposed to be talking about the threat of wildfires, artificial intelligence, and other security and economic concerns. As Tonda has reported, the Canadian hosts are pushing for the traditional joint statement at the end of the summit, so we're expecting a series of statements on specific issues. We shall see what comes out of this as things get going. The Group of Seven comprises Canada, the United States, France, Italy, Japan, Germany and Britain. Leaders of each nation will be in attendance. The European Union also attends, as well as other heads of state who are not part of the G7 but have been invited by Carney. These include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who is expected to have her first in-person meeting with Trump, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom's de facto ruler, was invited but will not attend. Canada is not pushing for a traditional joint declaration at the conclusion of the G7 summit. Instead of haggling over a communique Prime Minister Mark Carney will issue a chair's statement at the end summarizing discussions. And there are likely to be separate summaries of each session. That said, the leaders may issue a joint statement on Iran-Israel hostilities. All are talking about it as an extremely critical time On our way into the start of the Carney-Trump bilateral meeting. G7 Summit is underway! President @realDonaldTrump and Prime Minister @MarkJCarney are meeting to kick off the Summit 🇺🇸🇨🇦 Trump walked by with officials while we were outside. Can't tell if he saw the screen. He and Carney started a one-on-one meeting slightly late. Media pool is being held until before expanded meeting starts with their officials. A few minutes after 11 a.m., media are still holding outside. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz gives a statement during the Group of Seven (G7) Summit at the Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge in Kananaskis, Alberta, on Monday. We are told the media will be brought in at the end of the Carney-Trump one-on-one. After their meeting is expanded to include officials and then ends, Trump is expected to have a 'pull aside' with the German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Another observation from that brief broadcasted encounter: Carney was quick to compliment the United States, telling Trump right off the bat that 'the G7 is nothing without U.S. leadership.' It reminds me of Carney's approach on May 6 when he went down to Washington for his first face-to-face with Trump. Carney said then that Trump was a 'transformative' president. Trump has, at least publicly, seemed friendly towards Carney. He has called him a 'gentleman,' and just now he said 'we've developed a very good relationship.' First images coming from Carney's meeting with Trump. He wishes him a belated happy birthday, which Trump celebrated alongside the 250th anniversary parade for the American military on uses Carney's first name, thanks 'Mark' for hosting. He then ad libs about how Russia was booted from the G8, which Trump blames on Barack Obama and a 'guy named Trudeau,' referring to former prime minister Justin Trudeau. For the record: Russia was expelled from the G8 in 2014, before Trudeau was prime minister, after Moscow annexed Crimea, a territory of Ukraine. Trump also says his primary focus is 'trade and trade with Canada.' The Star's Tonda MacCharles asks what's holding back a deal on trade, and Trump says there's no hold up. He expresses hope that a deal can happen on trade. Trump repeats that it was 'a big mistake' not to have Putin in the G7 (formerly the G8), arguing his membership would have prevented the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Trump also says it's 'not a bad idea' to have China at the table too. '(Putin) was very insulted when he got thrown out of the G8.' He again blames Trudeau, who was not in power at the time, along with former president Obama. Carney is not really saying anything, standing, nodding, folding his hands. He seems slightly uncomfortable, or maybe eager to get moving away from the media spray moment of their meeting. He now buts in and says he's going to act as meeting chair, thanks the media for questions, and gets them ushered out. Trump seemed like he would have taken questions for a while longer, but there it is. The leaders are now back in a closed door meeting with a roster of officials from each country. Carney wrapped up the news spray once things started going down a road off Canada-U.S. or Iran and onto domestic U.S. questions, saying they didn't have much time left. Canadian officials seemed a tad nervous about Canadian reporters demanding trade deal answers. Trump suggested he wants a simple deal to retain and measure tariffs whereas 'Mark' wants a more complex deal. He thinks a deal is achievable if both agree but I still didn't hear a clear timeline or common ground on zero tariffs — which is what Canadians want. We were hustled out pretty quickly. On trade, Trump said that Canada and the U.S. have 'different concepts' about the economic relationship. 'I have a tariff concept. Mark has a different concept, which is something that some people like. But we're going to see if we can get to the bottom of it today,' Trump said. 'I'm a tariff person. I've always been a tariff (person). It's simple. It's easy. It's precise. And it just goes very quickly. And I think Mark has a more complex idea, but also very good. So we're going to look at both ... and we're going to come out with something.' Another thing raised during that encounter was Iran and Israel's conflict. Trump, who was trying to negotiate a new deal with Iran to prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons, urged the country to 'make a deal.' 'It's painful for both parties, but I'd say Iran is not winning this war, and they should talk immediately, before it's too late,' Trump said. An official from the Prime Minister's Office just told reporters that they expect the Iran-Israel conflict to come up repeatedly in today's sessions, but 'it's too soon to speculate' on whether that means there will be a joint statement on the situation from the G7 leaders. Canada has so far called for de-escalation, while Trump just now said Iran should start talking — apparently alluding to the negotiations to prevent the regime from getting nuclear weapons, which is part of Israel's justification for the first strikes of the current conflict four days ago. The PMO official said the situation is also expected to be discussed in the G7 session on global security this evening. Fact check for Donald Trump: Russia was kicked out of the G8 in 2014, when Stephen Harper, not Justin Trudeau, was prime minister of Canada. The Canada-U.S. bilateral meeting has ended after 70 minutes, 30 minutes of which was one-on-one with Trump and Carney. Next up is the first working session of the summit, which is supposed to focus on the 'global economic outlook.' The official arrivals have been quite delayed by the early bilaterals that ran overtime. Carney, a leader who has prided himself on being punctual, is still chatting with Trump inside. But this session was supposed to have started an hour and a half ago. Carney and his wife Diana Fox Carney are greeting the other leaders and spouses. Not all have brought spouses. Melania Trump didn't come. Neither did the spouses of leaders of the U.K., France or Italy. But the spouse of Ursula Von der Leyen, the European Commission president, and the spouses of the leaders of Japan and Germany joined them in Kananaskis. The leaders have finally entered to start the actual summit meetings. Prime minister Carney is in the chair's position, flanked by France's Emmanuel Macron and Trump of the U.S. Carney welcomes everyone to his 'home province' of Alberta, and starts with a land acknowledgement, and summarizes the 50 year history of the G7, the last time the G7, then a G8, met in Kananaskis was post 9/11. Again, Carney appears to compliment Trump, telling him during his opening remarks that 'some of us, such as you Mr. President, have anticipated these massive changes and are taking bold measures to address them.' 'We all know there can be no prosperity' without security and cooperation that can lead to a new era of security, including energy security, he added. Carney says 'we'll have open and frank discussions' over the next few days and they all will not agree on everything, but where they can cooperate, he says it will make an enormous difference to the world. U.S. President Donald Trump at G7 Monday. Eagle-eyed observers have noticed that Carney is wearing his Order of Canada lapel pin, while Trump is wearing a U.S. flag pin, and below it a Canada-U.S. pin. Detente? Also, in case you were wondering why Carney was in front of the U.S. flag and Trump in front of the Canadian flag, that's a protocol tradition that Canada's adopted for whenever it hosts a bilateral meeting here. Carney is acknowledging the elephant in the room, which is Trump's impact on relations between the U.S. and many of the G7 leaders' countries. The Canadian PM emphasized that 'all of us' are boosting their militaries, which is something Trump has lashed out at allies over. Carney also said 'there can be no security without economic prosperity' and called for cooperation, as Trump looks to ink new deals after unilaterally imposing tariffs on Canada and many others. Given the rocky conclusion of the last Canadian G7 in 2018 held in Charlevoix, with Trump as president, Carney is maybe trying to keep the friendly vibe going with the U.S. president, while also pressing his and Canada's interests. U.S. President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney hold a bilateral meeting during the G7 Leaders' Summit on Monday. We are still waiting to get a readout from Canadian officials on the Carney-Trump meeting, but for now, they're saying it was 'productive' and they were encouraged by the length and tone of the one-on-one conversation between the two. President Donald Trump greets Steven Crowchild, of the Tsuut'ina First Nation, as he arrives on Air Force One at Calgary International Airport, Sunday, June 15, 2025, in Calgary, Canada, ahead of the G7 Summit. Steven Crowchild of the Tsuut'ina Nation tasked with greeting world heads of state arriving for G7 said he considered leaving before Donald Trump arrived, appalled by the U.S. president's having 'caused much pain and suffering in the world.' Instead, Crowchild said he prayed to his creator, consulted with his people's leadership and opted to stay on the tarmac in Calgary, where he spoke at length on Sunday with Trump. 'It was really intense to say the least,' Crowchild told The Associated Press on Monday. Crowchild wore feathered headgear, spoke in his traditional language and showed Trump tribal medals that he told the president were older than the nation of Canada. Trump wore a white 'Make America Great Again' cap. 'I almost didn't stay. I was filled with rage,' Crowchild said, adding that he decided to remain 'considering that visibility is key and diplomacy is important and there was no indigenous representation there at the time.' German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (R) and his wife Charlotte Merz (center left) are greeted by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and his wife Diana Fox Carney as they arrive for the official welcome ceremony during the G7 Leaders' Summit on June 16, 2025 in Kananaskis, Alberta. Courtesy of a White House pool reporter who attended the official greeting Carney offered Trump and the other leaders, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz asked Carney how the earlier meeting with Trump went. The Canadian prime minister replied: 'Fantastic.' President Donald Trump wears a pin with the flags of Canada and the United States as he participates in a session of the G7 Summit, Monday, June 16, 2025, in Kananaskis, Canada. Other U.S. officials were wearing a maple leaf pin. The PMO tells us that those were not gifts provided in the basket for visiting delegations, so Trump and his team brought their own pins. The four European G7 leaders held an informal meeting over glasses of Canadian wine on the eve of the summit Sunday night, without President Donald Trump, who had yet to arrive at the venue in the Canadian Rockies. It started when British Prime Minister Keir Starmer bumped into German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in a restaurant-bar area of the venue in the resort of Kananaskis. French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni dropped by and it became an hourlong informal meeting during which the conflict between Israel and Iran was discussed. Efforts to de-escalate that conflict are a main focus of the two-day summit that officially started Monday. Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, attends a joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, in the chancellory in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is heading to Canada to take part in a session on energy security. U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said Guterres will participate in Tuesday's session for G7 and invited leaders on 'diversification, technology and investment to ensure access and affordability in a changing world.' The secretary-general will meet Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney on the margins of the meeting, Haq said. He said other meetings would be announced later when asked if the U.N. chief would meet with U.S. President Donald Trump. The Ukrainian Canadian Congress calls on the leaders of the G7 to 'substantially' increase military support to Ukraine, increase sanctions on Russia and seize $300 billion in Russian assets. In a news release, national president of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress Alexandra Chyczij says the leaders have the means to 'force Russia to stop its genocidal war of aggression against Ukraine.' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accepted an invitation to attend the G7 summit. There is no deal on trade between Trump and Carney to lift tariffs, and one isn't expected at this summit, Canadian officials said Canada-U.S. relations minister Dominic LeBlanc and ambassador Kirsten Hillman just told Canadian reporters that the two leaders agreed their teams will meet again later this week for further talks. Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks during a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, third from left, as Dominic LeBlanc, Canada's Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, right, and from left, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Pete Hoekstra, U.S. Ambassador to Canada, listen on the sidelines of the G7 Summit, Monday, June 16, 2025, in Kananaskis, Canada. Asked to explain what is Carney's 'more complex concept' - as Trump described the prime minister's notion of an agreement - LeBlanc declined to go into any specifics. He deflected questions about details or timelines for any expected action. 'We also agreed with the Americans not to discuss the details of these conversations and the inevitable back and forth around different ideas and different scenarios publicly. The important thing is that we collectively think we're making progress in coming to a deal that would be in the economic interest of both countries, but we're not there yet,' he said. Canadian Ambassador to the United States Kirsten Hillman, left, and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc prepare to leave following a meeting between Prime Minister Mark Carney and U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, D.C., Tuesday, May 6, 2025. Asked if they see any path to a deal where there are no tariffs, Hillman and LeBlanc kept talking about what Canada believes should happen, but not specifically about what Trump believes must happen. 'Our goal is to get the tariffs off, to get to a place of stability and to then, you know, talk to the President about if there is a transformation to happen in the way in which we trade, let's talk about that.' In other words, the Canadians still are aiming for an agreement where the current tariffs are lifted on sectors that Ottawa argues also hurt U.S. economic interests, with possible future talks on trade dealt within the context of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico deal's review. But based on what we've heard publicly today, Canada's team may be on 'transmit,' while Trump is not on 'receive.' 'We feel they're understanding us better. That happened again today, both with the leaders and in the subsequent meeting that Minister LeBlanc is talking about,' said Hillman. 'But,' she added, 'we are not there yet.' 'We have a president who is very convinced of the policy that he has around tariffs in order to achieve some of his policy goals. We are very convinced that applying that policy to Canada is actually detrimental to his overall goals, and we are trying to get there with him and his officials, so that they understand our perspective.' 'This takes time. It takes a lot of data, it takes a lot of facts,' she added, but she said 'we feel a sense of acceleration in the discussions in the last couple of weeks, and that is a very good thing.' Asked if the president expressed at any point his view that Canada should become a 51st state, the two Canadian officials declined to comment. 'The President is very respectful of the Prime Minister and of Canada,' said Hillman. 'He spoke many times about how much he likes it here, how much he likes Canada, how happy he was to be in Alberta.' LeBlanc said, 'we're not going to go into the private details of the conversation. Our focus was on the economic opportunity of working with the United States, and that was the conversation that the Prime Minister had.' Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, from left, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Pete Hoekstra, U.S. Ambassador to Canada, listen during a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Mark Carney on the sidelines of the G7 Summit, Monday, June 16, 2025, in Kananaskis, Canada. On those pins, LeBlanc was sporting one of the golden maple leaf pins that the Americans were wearing, but he didn't answer if one of the American cabinet officials gave it to him. France's President Emmanuel Macron, from left, Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney and President Donald Trump participate in a session of the G7 Summit, Monday, June 16, 2025, in Kananaskis, Canada. French President Emmanuel Macron held extended talks with U.S. President Donald Trump before the G7 summit's official welcome ceremony, Macron's top international spokesperson said Monday. Jean-Noël Ladois said the two leaders discussed 'tariffs, the situation in the Near and Middle East, and the situation in Ukraine.' There's no briefing yet on what came out of the meeting. U.S. President Trump is having an impromptu sit down at the Group of Seven with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The meeting occurred at von der Leyen's request, according to the White House. Trump threatened tariffs of as much as 50% on European goods, unless the 27-member block engaged more to the Trump administration's liking in trade talks. The U.S. president held off on his threat and kept the import taxes at a baseline 10% for a negotiating period currently slated to end before July 9. The meeting has delayed a separate meeting that Trump was scheduled to have with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. CALGARY, ALBERTA - JUNE 16: Members of the Sikh community hold signs as they protest Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi in front of Calgary City Hall on June 16, 2025 in Calgary, Alberta. More than 100 Sikhs waved blue and yellow Khalistan flags and held up posters Monday condemning Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of his visit to the G7 leaders' summit. One poster depicted the Indian leader handcuffed in a prison jumpsuit, and another showed him locked up behind bars with the message: 'I killed Nijjar, a Canadian citizen.' Hundreds of protesters and dozens of groups protest at Calgary City Hall as world leaders arrive for the start of a three-day summit in Kananaskis, Alta. Some said they were there to take a stand against the policies of U.S. President Donald Trump. (June 15, 2025 / The Canadian Press) Modi was expected to arrive in Calgary later Monday. The G7 is being held west of the city in a wilderness retreat in Kananaskis. Read the full report from the Canadian Press Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, left, speaks before a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Alta., on Monday, June 16, 2025. Carney said it's a great honour to welcome Ishiba to Canada to strengthen the ties between the two countries. Speaking through an interpreter, Ishiba praised the strategic partnership between Japan and Canada and said he's hoping for an information security agreement and a deal on defence equipment and technology. U.S. President Donald Trump holds a signed Trade Agreement with Britain during a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, at the G7 Leaders' Summit on June 16, 2025 in Kananaskis, Canada. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Monday that they are signing a trade deal that will slash tariffs on goods from both countries. The deal does not include tariffs on steel, an especially important piece of bilateral trade. Instead, talks are still going on about whether steel tariffs will be cut to zero as planned in the provisional agreement. Trump and Starmer announced in May they'd struck an agreement that would slash U.S. import taxes on British cars, steel and aluminum in return for greater access to the British market for U.S. products including beef and ethanol. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks to journalists during a press conference in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Wednesday, June 4, 2025. Defending his decision to wait, Trump said 'sanctions are not that easy. It's not just a one-way street.' Answering questions after meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on the margins of the G7 summit in Canada, Trump said sanctions cost the U.S. 'a lot of money.' He said he'd like to see the European Union impose sanctions on Russia before the United States does.
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