CALGARY, Canada – President Donald Trump arrived in Alberta, Canada, on Sunday for the G7 summit, his first major meeting of international leaders since beginning his second term in January.
During the three-day summit, Trump will engage with leaders of the world’s seven advanced economies to address pressing economic issues and escalating geopolitical crises, particularly in the Middle East, given the recent escalation of direct conflict.
Air Force One landed at Calgary International Airport at 8:36 p.m. local time. Trump stepped off the plane wearing a coat and a white hat with the slogan “Make America Great Again.”
Alberta, a conservative and oil-rich province, is an intriguing choice for the summit venue, given the upcoming 2026 referendum on its possible separation from Canada.
The leaders’ summit, marking the 50th anniversary of the G7, will be held in Kananaskis, in the Canadian Rockies, from June 15-17.
This group includes the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the European Union, accounting for more than half of the world’s GDP.
This year’s gathering takes place against the backdrop of an active conflict between Israel and Iran, with both countries exchanging attacks for the third consecutive day since June 15.
The latest conflict began on June 12 after Israel launched airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, senior officials, military leaders, and nuclear scientists.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that in recent months Iran has taken steps to “weaponize” itself and that “if this is not stopped, Iran could produce a nuclear weapon in a very short time.”
“Time for a deal”
Trump urges Tehran to agree to a new nuclear deal to avoid further destruction.
“There are a lot of calls and meetings happening now,” he added.
So far, neither side has shown any signs of de-escalating the situation, and Israel has issued evacuation warnings to Iranian civilians near weapons facilities.
Before leaving for Canada, Trump answered questions about tensions between Iran and Israel, expressing optimism about a deal.
“It’s time for a deal,” he said, adding, “Sometimes they have to fight it out.”
Asked if he called on Israel to end its airstrikes on Iran, Trump said he “wouldn’t say that.”
He also affirmed that the United States will continue to support Israel’s defense.
If the conflict continues, the Middle East crisis will likely dominate discussions at the G7 summit.
Another critical issue is the escalation of trade tensions caused by recent US tariffs. Trump imposed new tariffs targeting all G7 countries, including host country Canada, in addition to special duties on car imports and a sharp increase in steel and aluminum tariffs to 50 percent.
Canada’s priorities for the G7 countries
Canada has identified three key priorities for this year’s summit.
The first is to protect communities and the world by strengthening peace and security and addressing issues such as “foreign interference and transnational crime,” as well as improving wildfire response strategies.
The second goal is to increase energy security and accelerate the use of artificial intelligence and quantum technologies. This includes strengthening supply chains for critical minerals.
Finally, Canada wants to discuss future partnerships, promoting private investment in infrastructure, creating high-paying jobs, and opening up dynamic markets.
The Russia-Ukraine war and the Gaza conflict also feature prominently in the discussions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to attend the summit and meet with Trump.
The president is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on the morning of June 16. He is also scheduled to meet with Sheinbaum as part of the summit.
In addition, China’s ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is at the center, with leaders expected to express concern about the CCP’s escalation of tensions in the East and South China Seas, the need to build military capabilities, and stability in the Taiwan Strait, given the CCP’s threats to take control of the self-governing island.
The issue of critical minerals, which are essential for high-tech industries such as electric car batteries and semiconductors, is also important for the economic security of the G7 countries, and the Chinese Communist Party’s dominance of this market is a growing concern for the United States and its allies.
He said the United States and other G7 partners want to “secure supply chains given China’s dominance, particularly in processing.”
“So even if an agreement is reached with China on rare earth export controls, it is in the long-term interest of G7 partners to do more to identify and mine the rocks found in the Earth’s crust and to increasingly process them domestically in G7 countries.”
