American President Donald Trump left the G7 summit in Canada earlier amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, the White House announced.
Although U.S. officials cited reasons related to the situation in Iran and Israel, the exact nature of the urgency remains shrouded in mystery. Especially after Trump publicly contradicted Emmanuel Macron, stating that his departure has „much bigger reasons” than just a ceasefire agreement.
The G7 summit in Kananaskis, Canada, has so far been held in a tense atmosphere, marked by major divergences among the attending leaders. The Israel-Iran conflict and the war in Ukraine have polarized positions, and Trump's overt support for Vladimir Putin has exacerbated the disagreements, as reported by Reuters.
The White House leader stated that Russia's exclusion from the former G8 was a "big mistake" and implied that the 2022 invasion of Ukraine could have been avoided if Putin had been kept within the circle of major economic powers.
Prior to his departure, Trump reaffirmed that Putin only communicates with him and not with other Western leaders, suggesting that only through him can the escalation of conflict with Russia be avoided.
Macron announces a possible ceasefire, Trump denies
After Trump's departure, French President Emmanuel Macron stated that the American leader presented an "offer for a ceasefire between Israel and Iran," claiming that his premature withdrawal could help calm the situation.
Trump reacted strongly on his Truth Social network. "French President Emmanuel Macron, seeking publicity, erroneously said that I left the G7 summit in Canada to return to Washington and work on a 'ceasefire' agreement between Israel and Iran," he wrote.
"Wrong! He has no idea why I am now on my way to Washington, but it certainly has nothing to do with a ceasefire. Much more serious than that. Intentional or not, Emmanuel always gets it wrong. Stay tuned!", Trump continued.
Trump-Zelensky meeting also falls through
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to arrive at the G7 meeting in Canada on Tuesday. Here, he hoped to have a meeting with Donald Trump to discuss the purchase of military equipment from the U.S.
In light of the abrupt departure of the White House leader, the discussion will no longer take place.
Lack of a clear consensus
Despite the misunderstandings, the G7 leaders issued a joint statement supporting Israel and condemning Iran as a "source of instability" in the region. The statement calls for de-escalation and a solution that includes a ceasefire in Gaza.
Although Trump agreed with this message, the lack of a firm common position on Ukraine and sanctions against Russia diminished the impact of the meeting.
In the absence of Trump, even the future official communications of the summit are uncertain. Diplomatic sources cited by Reuters say that the U.S. has not approved any of the prepared documents regarding migration, artificial intelligence, or strategic minerals.
Canada even abandoned the idea of a common final statement, fearing a situation similar to that of 2018 when Trump withdrew American support after leaving the Quebec summit.