Trump to leave G7 summit early; says removing Russia from group was a mistake
From left, European Council President Antonio Costa; Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba; Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni; French President Emmanuel Macron; Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney; U.S. President Donald Trump; British Prime Minister Keir Starmer; German Chancellor Friedrich Merz; and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen pose for a photo during the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, on Monday.
By John Irish, Jarrett Renshaw and Andreas Rinke
U.S. President Donald Trump is leaving the Group of Seven summit in Canada a day early due to the situation in the Middle East, the White House said on Monday.
Trump has requested that the national security council be prepared in the situation room, the co-host of Fox News' "FOX & Friends" program, Lawrence Jones, said on X.
The G7 has struggled to find unity over conflicts in Ukraine and between Israel and Iran as Trump overtly expressed support for Russian President Vladimir Putin and has imposed tariffs on many of the allies present.
Trump had earlier urged everyone to immediately evacuate Tehran, and reiterated that Iran should have signed a nuclear deal with the United States.
"Much was accomplished, but because of what's going on in the Middle East, President Trump will be leaving tonight after dinner with Heads of State," Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on X.
French President Emmanuel Macron said Trump's departure was positive, given the objective to get a ceasefire in the Middle East.
G7 leaders from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the U.S., along with the European Union, had convened in the resort area of Kananaskis in the Canadian Rockies until Tuesday.
Speaking alongside Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney earlier, Trump said the former Group of Eight had been wrong to kick out Russia in 2014 after it annexed Crimea.
"This was a big mistake," Trump said, adding he believed Russia would not have invaded Ukraine in 2022 had Putin not been ejected.
"Putin speaks to me. He doesn't speak to anybody else ... he's not a happy person about it. I can tell you that he basically doesn't even speak to the people that threw him out, and I agree with him," Trump said.
Though Trump stopped short of saying Russia should be reinstated in the group, his comments had raised doubts about how much Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy can achieve when he is schedule to meet the leaders on Tuesday.
"It was a rough start," said Josh Lipsky, a former senior IMF official who now chairs the international economics department at the Atlantic Council.
European nations had wanted to persuade Trump to back tougher sanctions on Moscow.
Zelenskyy said he had planned to discuss new weapons purchases for Ukraine with Trump.
European officials said they hoped to use Tuesday's meeting with Zelenskyy and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and next week's NATO summit to convince Trump to toughen his stance.
In another early sign the group of democracies lacked unity, a U.S. official said Trump would not sign a draft statement calling for de-escalation of the Israel-Iran conflict.
Canada has abandoned any effort to adopt a comprehensive communique to avert a repeat of the 2018 summit in Quebec, when Trump instructed the U.S. delegation to withdraw its approval of the final communique after leaving.
Leaders have prepared several draft documents seen by Reuters, including on migration, artificial intelligence, and critical minerals. None of them have been approved by the United States, however, according to sources briefed on the documents.
Without Trump, it is unclear if there will be any declarations, a European diplomat said.
Carney invited non-G7 members Mexico, India, Australia, South Africa, South Korea and Brazil, as well as Ukraine.
TARIFFS
Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday they had finalized a trade deal reached between the two allies last month, making Britain the first country to agree to a deal for lower U.S. tariffs.
Carney said in a statement he had agreed with Trump that their two nations should try to wrap up a new economic and security deal within 30 days.
Trump said a new economic deal with host Canada was possible but stressed tariffs had to play a role, a position the Canadian government strongly opposes.
"Our position is that we should have no tariffs on Canadian exports to the United States," said Kirsten Hillman, Canada's ambassador to Washington.
Talks on Monday centered around the economy, advancing trade deals, and China.
Several leaders arrived in Canada, a country Trump has repeatedly threatened to annex as the 51st U.S. state, in hopes of making progress on trade negotiations with the United States.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he hoped there would be steps towards a solution to a tariff dispute with the United States, even if a solution itself could not be reached at the summit.
© Thomson Reuters 2025.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Mainichi
29 minutes ago
- The Mainichi
Now we are six: G7 leaders try to salvage their summit after Trump's early exit
KANANASKIS, Alberta (AP) -- 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 U.K., 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."
The Mainichi
an hour ago
- The Mainichi
Downside risks exceed upside risks for both economy, prices: BOJ head
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Bank of Japan chief Kazuo Ueda on Tuesday expressed concern about the outlook for the Japanese economy following U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff hikes, saying downside risks now "exceed" upside ones for both growth and prices. At a press conference after the central bank wrapped up its two-day meeting, Ueda also said the BOJ will continue raising interest rates as needed, but he added, "Overseas trade policies pose a downside risk." Earlier in the day, the BOJ decided to further reduce its government bond purchases beyond April next year, but at a slower pace. Ueda said the bank will review the pace if necessary to avoid unforeseen market turbulence.
Yomiuri Shimbun
an hour ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Iranian State Broadcaster Hit as Iran Urges Trump to Make Israel Halt War
Reuters file photo Smoke rises following what Iran says was an Israeli attack on Sharan Oil depot in Tehran, Iran, June 16, 2025 TEL AVIV/DUBAI, June 16 (Reuters) – An Israeli strike hit Iran's state broadcaster on Monday while the head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog indicated extensive damage to Iran's biggest uranium enrichment plant and Iran called on the U.S. to force a ceasefire in the aerial war. Late on Monday, Israel said it hit Iran's broadcasting authority, and footage showed a newsreader hurrying from her seat as a blast struck. Israel's military said the building also served as a communications centre used by Iran's armed forces. The conflict entered its fifth day on Tuesday, with air raid sirens sounding in Tel Aviv shortly after midnight as Iran launched additional missiles toward Israel. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told four European counterparts that Iran was serious about diplomacy but its current focus was on confronting aggression, Iranian state media reported. Israel has said its goal is to eliminate Tehran's ability to develop a nuclear weapon. Iran says more than 224 Iranians have been killed, most of them civilians. Israel says 24 people have been killed, all of them civilians. Sources told Reuters that Tehran had asked Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia to press U.S. President Donald Trump to use his influence on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to push for an immediate ceasefire. In return, Iran would show flexibility in nuclear negotiations, said the two Iranian and three regional sources. 'If President Trump is genuine about diplomacy and interested in stopping this war, next steps are consequential,' Araqchi said on X. 'Israel must halt its aggression, and absent a total cessation of military aggression against us, our responses will continue. It takes one phone call from Washington to muzzle someone like Netanyahu.' Asked if he would agree to talks should Trump want that, Netanyahu told reporters that Israel was committed to removing the threats of both nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. 'If this can be achieved in another way – fine. But we gave it a 60-day chance,' Netanyahu said. Speaking to Reuters on Friday, the first day of Israel's assault, Trump said he had given the Iranians 60 days to come to an agreement to halt uranium enrichment and that the time had expired with no deal. Talks between the United States and Iran, hosted by Oman, had been scheduled for Sunday but were scrapped, with Tehran saying it could not negotiate while under attack. Iranian media said Iran was preparing for the 'largest and most intense missile attack' yet against Israel, including against military and intelligence targets. NATANZ DAMAGE Israel launched its air war with a surprise attack that killed nearly the entire top echelon of Iran's military commanders and its leading nuclear scientists. It says it now has control of Iranian airspace and intends to escalate the campaign in coming days. Israel said it hit Iranian F-14 fighter planes at Tehran airport on Monday, and its airstrikes have also put at least two of Iran's three operating uranium enrichment plants out of action. Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, told the BBC on Monday it was very likely all the roughly 15,000 centrifuges operating at Iran's biggest uranium enrichment plant at Natanz were badly damaged or destroyed because of a power cut caused by an Israeli strike. There had been very limited or no damage at the separate Fordow plant, he said. Tehran for the first time in decades of shadow war and proxy conflict fired missiles from Iran that pierced Israeli defences in significant numbers and killed Israelis in their homes. Round-the-clock television images showed Israeli rescuers working in ruins of flattened homes. Almost 3,000 people have been evacuated from their homes since Iranian strikes began, leaving 24 buildings slated for demolition, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich told reporters. Iranian state TV broadcast scenes of collapsed presidential buildings, burned-out cars, and shattered streets in Tehran. Many residents were trying to flee the capital, describing queues for petrol and bank machines that were out of cash. 'I am desperate. My two children are scared and cannot sleep at night because of the sound of air defence and attacks, explosions. But we have nowhere to go. We hid under our dining table,' Gholamreza Mohammadi, 48, a civil servant, told Reuters by phone from Tehran. Trump has consistently said the Israeli assault could end quickly if Iran agrees to U.S. demands that it accept strict curbs to its nuclear programme. 'As I've been saying, I think a deal will be signed, or something will happen, but a deal will be signed, and I think Iran is foolish not to sign,' Trump told reporters on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada. 'I think Iran is basically at the negotiating table,' he said without elaborating. On Monday, Iranian lawmakers floated the idea of quitting the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, a move bound to be seen as a setback for any negotiations. Iran has always said its nuclear programme is peaceful, although the IAEA declared last week that Tehran was in violation of its obligations. 'PAYING THE PRICE' Before dawn on Monday, Iranian missiles struck Tel Aviv and Haifa, killing at least eight people and destroying homes. Iran's Revolutionary Guards said the latest attack employed a new method that caused Israel's multi-layered defence systems to target each other so missiles could get through. Israel's Haifa-based Bazan energy group said its power station had been significantly damaged in an attack that killed three employees and forced its refinery facilities to shut down. Oil prices slipped $1 per barrel on Monday in volatile trading after reports that Iran is seeking an end to hostilities, raising the possibility of a truce and easing fears of a disruption to regional crude supplies. The sudden killing of so many Iranian military commanders and the apparent loss of control of airspace could prove to be the biggest test of Iran's system of clerical rule since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
