International: What the G7 summit in Canada is about

What is the G7 for? Since the outline of Russia in 2014, the group of states sees itself as a community of value of Western democracies, which must assert itself in the growing competition with autocrats such as China and Russia. How much of the similarities after the start of US President Donald Trump in his second term will be shown in the coming days at the summit in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. The heads of state and government already arrive for their meeting in Kananaski- for the 50-year G7 existence of an unfavorable sign.

With the beginning of a further war in the Middle East between Israel and Iran, a new topic of conflict comes to the G7 bosses. The United States and Europeans have assured Israel their solidarity, but without actively supporting the offensive against leading military and nuclear facilities. A further intensification of the situation during the meeting is quite possible.

With the Ukraine War and World Trade, two topics are also on the program in the seclusion of Canadian nature, in which Trump and its European allies have now been widely rapped. In the German delegation, one still hopes for a “signal of unity”. For the new Chancellor Friedrich Merz, the summit is the first major test at an international meeting after his inaugural visits among the most important allies.

How does Donald Trump go to the summit?

Immediately before the G7 summit, the US President had a large military parade held in Washington-for the 250th day of the US army, which fell with Trump’s 79th birthday. It was a military demonstration of power in front of the world. And with this martial visual language in his luggage, he flies to Canada.

The Republican has been in office for almost five months now and has been laid out at a dizzying pace to democracy and the constitutional system in the United States. Internationally, he also pushed one partner in front of his head after the other – including punitive tariffs.

Why is Trump’s Canada visit particularly explosive?

Trump shocked with public fantasies to take over foreign territories. So he threatened that the USA could “get back” the Panama Canal, if necessary with military violence. He also claimed Greenland and the Gaza Strip – and he repeatedly called Canada to become part of the United States. Now he visits the neighboring country for the first time in his new term and is likely to be received by the Canadian public.

As far as Greenland is concerned, France’s President Emmanuel Macron sets an example on the way to the summit. He places a stopover on the island belonging to Denmark – together with the Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.

What is Chancellor Merz about at the summit?

At his first encounter with Trump in the White House, Merz set out possible fields of conflict last week. He also wants to continue this course in Kananaskis. The first conversation with the US President was “harmonious”, according to his delegation. “Now the next test is: what about a team situation and how well the G7 is able to carry this team spirit to the outside world.”

For Merz, however, it is also about asserting themselves among the Europeans and taking a real European leadership role. On his first trips – especially those to Kiev and Washington – he refueled self -confidence for it. Now a series of important summits follows. After the G7 meeting, the NATO summit in the Hague and its first EU summit in Brussels will be in Brussels this month.

How much will the new war in Middle East determine the summit?

That depends on the development on site. So far, the United States and the Europeans seem to agree not to actively intervene in the conflict. That could change quickly on the American side. There is afraid that Iran’s management could also order retaliation against American bases in the Middle East. Then it would be almost unthinkable that the USA would not be back – and the next dramatic escalation level would have been reached.

That would also be the case if the United States would actively help Israel to attack certain Iranian nuclear facilities, according to experts. Trump alone should decide which path the USA will ultimately take in the conflict – without the G7 partners.

What can the G7 achieve when it comes to Ukraine?

Trump’s full-bodied promise to end the Ukraine war quickly turned out to be an air number. The Europeans now hope to be able to convince him that his efforts only have a chance of success if the pressure on Russia is increased.

For example, they want to further push through exports through exports by reducing the price lid for the sale of Russian oil to countries such as India or China from the current 60 to $ 45 per barrel (159-liter barrel). The price cover was introduced in 2022 and provides for sanctions against actors who are involved in the export of Russian oil at higher prices.

The Ukrainian President Wolodymyr Selenskyj is intended to get the opportunity to promote further support in Canada. He is invited to a working breakfast with the participants of the G7 group on Tuesday morning-as well as NATO general secretary Mark Rutte.

Can it to avert a further escalation of the customs conflict?

In addition to the support of Ukraine, this is the second question that has absolute priority for Europeans. If no agreement is reached by July 9th, new high US tariffs are reaching almost all exports from the EU to the United States – and the EU would in turn respond with tariffs on imports from the USA.

To prevent this, talks have been going between Brussels and Washington for weeks – however, it is unclear whether they lead to success. Trump sees Zölle not only as an instrument for reducing the American foreign trade deficit, but also as a source of income to finance tax cuts.

So far, the EU has offered the United States a mutual reduction in tariffs and the reduction of so -called non -tariff scales, including different regulations and standards for cars. In addition, the EU could promise the United States’ purchase of even more American liquid gas and armaments.

Will there be far -reaching decisions at the summit?

Because the United States drastically deviates from the G7 commitment to the previous commitment of the G7 under Trump in areas such as climate protection, development aid and world trade, the heads of state and government want to do without a comprehensive joint declaration against this background. The memory of the last G7 summit in Canada in 2018 should also have played a role. At that time, Trump had spectacularly burst by withdrawing approval for the final declaration shortly after the end.

This year, only individual explanations on the topics of migration, critical raw materials, artificial intelligence, quantum technology, forest fires and foreign influence are planned. Everything else – such as an understanding of increasing the pressure on Russia together with new sanctions – would be a great success.