G7 leaders fail to reach major agreements after Trump's early exit
Six leaders from the Group of Seven – or G7 – discussed Russia's war in Ukraine and the Israel-Iran conflict; however, they were unable to achieve significant agreements on these and numerous other pressing matters.
It concluded a summit that was forced to demonstrate how the coalition of affluent nations could still influence global policy, despite the premature departure of US President Donald Trump.
During the concluding sessions on Tuesday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, along with leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan, were accompanied by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO chief Mark Rutte.
'We need support from allies and I'm here,' Zelenskyy said, before adding, 'We are ready for the peace negotiations, unconditional ceasefire. I think it's very important. But for this, we need pressure.'
The remaining leaders agreed to jointly attempt to combat what they called non-market policies that could jeopardise global access to critical minerals.
They also pledged to limit the downsides of artificial intelligence on jobs and the environment, while still embracing the potential of the 'technological revolution.'
There was agreement on various other matters, yet despite the summit's intention to demonstrate solidarity on major global issues, no collective statement regarding Russia's invasion of Ukraine was released.
Zelenskyy was scheduled to meet with Trump as world leaders convened at the Canadian Rocky Mountain resort of Kananaskis, however, that meeting was cancelled after Trump opted to leave the summit a day early on Tuesday citing escalations in the Middle East.
Additionally, the United States had earlier signed an agreement that allowed American access to Ukraine's extensive mineral resources.
A senior Canadian official who briefed reporters at the summit said the Washington opposed a joint statement on Ukraine amid its efforts to promote negotiations with Russia.
In Trump's absence, the remaining six leaders held an extensive session on Ukraine. Lacking unanimity, individual leaders also met with Zelenskyy to reassure him of their continued support to Kyiv and their commitment to ensure his country is equipped to fend off Russia.
The summit was largely overshadowed by the showdown between Israel and Iran over the latter's nuclear programme, which has the potential to escalate. Israel initiated an aerial bombardment campaign targeting Iran, while Iran retaliated with missile and drone strikes.
French President Emmanuel Macron warned against the US and other powers pushing for regime change in Iran, suggesting it could destabilize the greater Middle East. Netanyahu had earlier urged Iranians to use Israel's strikes as a means of toppling the government.
"I believe the greatest mistake today would be to pursue regime change in Iran through military means, as that would lead to chaos,' said Macron.
Before leaving, Trump joined the other leaders in issuing a statement which stated that Iran 'can never have a nuclear weapon' and calling for a 'de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza.'
US President Donald Trump is set to sign an executive order this week that will extend the deadline for the Chinese owner of TikTok to divest from the widely-used video sharing social media platform, according to an announcement made by the White House late on Tuesday.
This will be the third time Trump has extended the deadline.
The initial action occurred via an executive order on 20 January, on his first day in office, following a brief suspension of the platform when the ban, sanctioned by Congress and confirmed by the US Supreme Court, came into effect.
In early April, Trump issued an order to extend TikTok's operation for an additional 75 days, following the breakdown of a potential agreement to sell the app to American owners.
China had backed out of the deal, which the Trump administration had repeatedly said was really close to the finish line, after Trump announced his global tariffs, which targeted Chinese imports heavily.
'As he has said many times, President Trump does not want TikTok to go dark,' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.
"This extension will last 90 days, which the Administration will spend working to ensure this deal is closed so that the American people can continue to use TikTok with the assurance that their data is safe and secure.'
Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One as he flew back to Washington early Tuesday from the Group of Seven – or G7 – summit in Canada that he 'probably' would extend the deadline again.
He also added that he thinks his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping will "ultimately approve' a deal to divest TikTok's business in the United States.
It's not clear how many times Trump can continue to prolong the ban as the government continues in its efforts to negotiate a deal for the sale of TikTok, which is owned by ByteDance, a Chinese company.
Since joining TikTok last year, Trump has garnered over 15 million followers and has credited the platform with helping him gain popularity among younger voters. In January, he said that he has a "warm spot for TikTok."
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