American President Donald Trump at the G7 summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada, on June 16, 2025. Brendan Smialowski/AFP.)
BEIRUT — Donald Trump once again urged Iran on Monday to negotiate "before it's too late," during the G7 summit in Canada where leaders will strive to speak with one voice for a "de-escalation" in the war with Israel.
The American president claimed that the Iranians "would like to talk," while noting that Iran was "not winning this war" and that on the contrary, it was going "very well for Israel," on the fourth day of a conflict that continues to intensify. The other G7 leaders will attempt to find common ground with Donald Trump, a great advocate of going it alone diplomatically, on two other contentious issues: the war in Ukraine and trade.
The host of the meeting, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, wants to avoid a public display of divisions among the representatives of seven of the main industrialized democracies: Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, France, Italy, and Japan. His willingness to contain Donald Trump as much as possible was evident during a bilateral meeting. The Canadian leader intervened to end a full-fledged press conference that the ever-talkative American president had embarked upon, saying he wanted to "play [his] role as president of the G7."
'Consensus'
Even though Mark Carney said that trade was the "main topic" of the summit, the conflict between Israel and Iran looms over the agenda as Tehran promised Monday to continue hitting Israel after attacks that targeted state television.
"I think there is a consensus in favor of de-escalation" among the leaders gathered in the Canadian Rockies (west), British Prime Minister Keir Starmer hoped. "We will make a proposal to draft a final communiqué on this issue," announced German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
The conflict will be discussed in the evening during a working meeting on international security, according to a Canadian diplomatic source, while tempering expectations. It is wrong to say that there is at this stage a common declaration (on Israel and Iran) that would obtain a definitive yes or no from the leaders, according to this source.
Drafting a common position will be a delicate task, with Donald Trump notoriously impatient regarding lengthy multilateral negotiations. He oscillates between allowing the Israeli offensive and calling for a resumption of diplomatic negotiations with Tehran. He has not closed the door to direct American involvement either.
Ukraine
It will be just as difficult for the G7 leaders to agree on the war in Ukraine, triggered by the Russian invasion of February 2022. The Europeans are calling to toughen sanctions against Russia, particularly against Russian oil sales, while Donald Trump continues to boast of his closeness to Vladimir Putin.
On Monday, the American president once again said it was a "mistake" to expel Russia from what was then the G8 following the annexation of Crimea. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, also expected in Canada, said he wants to talk with Trump about Kiev purchasing military equipment from Washington.
Trade
The trade war launched by the American president is another topic of tensions.
The leaders of many other countries disrupted by the "America First" agenda of the 79-year-old billionaire have been invited, particularly those from India, Mexico, South Africa, and Australia. By imposing tariffs of at least 10 percent on most products entering the United States, the American president has challenged the principles of international trade and threatened the world with a general economic slowdown.
The subject is highly sensitive for Canada, also facing repeated statements from Trump about an annexation of the country. The American president emphasized Monday, during his meeting with Mark Carney, that both had a "different approach" on a potential trade deal. He reiterated his attachment to customs tariffs, a "simple," "precise" tool that "goes quickly," adding that Mark Carney had a "more complex but also very good" idea.