PM's diplomatic gauntlet continues despite Trump's exit
The prime minister's diplomatic show must go on, even after the departure of its biggest star.
Anthony Albanese's highly-anticipated plans to meet Donald Trump during the last day of the G7 summit in Canada were scuppered when the US president announced he would leave the event early due to the escalating situation in the Middle East.
But the prime minister can't afford to dwell on the loss as he prepares for talks with other world leaders.
Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Japanese President Shigeru Ishiba, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa are scheduled to have formal meetings with Mr Albanese on Tuesday local time (Wednesday AEST).
Mr Albanese will also catch up with French President Emmanuel Macron in the margins of the summit after a planned bilateral was cancelled due to a scheduling clash.
Before news broke about Mr Trump's unexpected exit, the prime minister said he looked forward to all of his talks.
"These meetings I find very useful," he told reporters in Canada.
"I developed relationships with people by dealing with them in a straight way and that makes a big difference."
However, the US president's absence is expected to haunt the rest of the summit as global economies reckon with the impact of Mr Trump's controversial tariffs.
Having already met with leaders including South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, Mr Albanese wasn't the only politician hoping to line up a chat with the leader of the free world.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum was hoping to have her first face-to-face talk with Mr Trump, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also scheduled discussions with the US president.
A spokesperson for Mr Albanese said the decision was "understandable" given the escalating tensions between Iran and Israel.
The prime minister has said he is "deeply concerned" by the situation and urged all parties to prioritise diplomacy and dialogue.
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley agreed Mr Trump's decision to leave was reasonable, but said the government should not have "merely" relied on meeting with the president on the sidelines of the international summit.
After the Pentagon launched a review into Australia's nuclear submarine deal with the US and UK, the prime minister had been expected to advocate for AUKUS in his talks with Mr Trump, along with trying to negotiate a tariff exemption on goods exported to America.
Australia's exports to the US continue to be hit with a baseline 10 per cent tariff and its steel and aluminium products face 50 per cent levies.
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