G7 world leaders arrive in Alberta amid Middle East crisis and global tariff uncertainty
BANFF, Alta. — The heads of the world's richest economies are converging on Alberta today for one of the most high-stakes G7 meetings in recent memory amid a U.S.-led global tariff war and the growing crisis in the Middle East.
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On many of the G7's key issues — namely the global trade war and Israel's military operations in Gaza — Trump and the rest of the G7 leaders are largely on opposite sides.
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Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's job as chair of the summit in Kananaskis, Alta., is to mediate discussions to make sure the tense alliance doesn't blow up.
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On top of global issues such as Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine, ongoing Israeli military campaigns in Gaza and now Iran and the U.S.-led reshaping of global trade via sweeping tariffs, Carney will have to contend with the volatility and unpredictability of American President Donald Trump.
According to a schedule published by Carney's office Sunday, the prime minister will meet Trump during a bilateral on Monday morning. It will be the first tête-à-tête between both men since Carney travelled to Washington last month.
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On many issues including trade and the Israel-Hamas war, the G7 summit is like a game of tug-of-war. Pulling on one side are the leaders of the U.K., France, Italy, Japan and Germany, and pulling on the opposite side is Trump, with Carney in the middle of the rope trying to keep it from ripping.
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The fact that the longtime Iran-Israel conflict has pivoted from proxy wars to full-on conventional war in the last few days makes Carney's job even more difficult.
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'It makes the already very difficult job of Prime Minister Carney to manage the G7 even more difficult. It adds another layer of risk and complexity,' said Thomas Juneau, a national security researcher and professor at the University of Ottawa.
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Seven non-member countries also attending the G7 from the sidelines: Australia, Brazil, India, Mexico, South Africa, South Korea and Ukraine. Delegations from NATO, the UN and the World Bank will also be present.
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On the eve of the summit, Carney had a first G7 bilateral with U.K. Prime Minister Kier Starmer during which the men dined and then watched the Edmonton Oilers play the Florida Panthers.
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