Top 5 things that happened at G7 Summit 2025

Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) countries are meeting in the remote town of Kananaskis, nestled in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies, for the 51st summit of the group from June 15 to 17 amid two major ongoing wars, in Ukraine and Gaza, and Israel’s rapidly escalating conflict with Iran.

The agenda this year for the meeting of the G7 — comprising Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, and the US — consists of three core actions, according to the G7 Summit website: “Protecting our communities around the world”; “Building energy security and accelerating the digital transition”; and “Securing the partnerships of the future”.

One of the guest invitees from non-G7 countries this year is Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s invitation to Modi raised several eyebrows because of the frosty relations between the two countries over Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s murder two years ago. But he defended his decision, saying it made sense to invite India, the world’s fifth-largest economy and a key link in trading supply chains.

Also read: Modi lands in Canada; says global issues, priorities of Global South on his agenda

Here are the top five things that have happened so far at the G7 Summit this year:

1. G7 reduced to G6 as trump leaves abruptly

US President Donald Trump abruptly left the G7 summit on Monday (June 16), departing a day early as the conflict between Israel and Iran intensified. The US leader ominously declared that Tehran should be evacuated “immediately.”

At the summit, Trump warned that Tehran needs to curb its nuclear programme before it’s “too late”. He said Iranian leaders would “like to talk” but they had already had 60 days to reach an agreement on their nuclear ambitions and failed to do so before the Israeli aerial assault began. “They have to make a deal,” he said.

As Trump posed for a picture Monday evening with the other G7 leaders, he simply said, “I have to be back, very important.”

Also read: Trump to depart G7 early amid Israel-Iran conflict; calls for Tehran's evacuation

2. Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb, G7 decides

G7 leaders — sans Trump — signed a joint statement on Tuesday, calling for de-escalation of the conflict between Israel and Iran while reaffirming that Iran cannot be allowed to have a nuclear bomb.

The statement reads: “We, the leaders of the G7, reiterate our commitment to peace and stability in the Middle East. In this context, we affirm that Israel has a right to defend itself. We reiterate our support for the security of Israel.

“We also affirm the importance of the protection of civilians. Iran is the principal source of regional instability and terror. We have been consistently clear that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.

“We urge that the resolution of the Iranian crisis leads to a broader de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza. We will remain vigilant to the implications for international energy markets and stand ready to coordinate, including with like-minded partners, to safeguard market stability.”

Also read: Canada: G7 leaders gather for summit overshadowed by Israel-Iran crisis, trade wars

3. Trump wants G8 again, or maybe G9

Before leaving abruptly, Trump suggested on Monday that Russia, and maybe even China, should be a part of the group of wealthy nations. Trump asserted that it was a “very big mistake” to remove Russia in 2014 after it annexed Crimea, a move that precipitated Russia’s wider invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

“The G7 used to be the G8. Barack Obama and a person named [Justin] Trudeau didn’t want to have Russia in,” Trump said, referring to the former Canadian prime minister who was elected the year after Russia was removed from the G8. Stephen Harper was the Canadian prime minister at the time.

“I think you wouldn’t have a war right now if you had Russia in, and you wouldn’t have a war right now if Trump were president four years ago,” Trump said. “They threw Russia out, which I claimed was a very big mistake, even though I wasn’t in politics then.”

Trump added that Russia's leader, Vladimir Putin, is “no longer at the table, so it makes life more complicated”. Asked by a reporter if China should also be added, Trump said: “It’s not a bad idea. I don’t mind that if somebody wants to see just China coming in.” The US president said it’s important for world leaders to be able to speak with one another at summits.

“Putin speaks to me. He doesn’t speak to anybody else,” Trump claimed. “He doesn’t want to talk because he was very insulted when he got thrown out of the G8, as I would be, as you would be, as anybody would be.”

Also read: G7 meet a big chance to mend ties with Canada but India must adjust to Khalistan reality

4. G7 leaders plead with Trump to end his tariff war

Leaders at the G7 summit reportedly urged Trump to scale down his tariff war, warning him of the risks it poses to global economic stability.

The leaders reportedly argued that the dispute will eventually weaken the G7 economies and end up strengthening China.

Most of the G7 countries face a 10 per cent baseline tariff from the US, while Europe and Japan face additional levies on cars, steel, and aluminium. Only Britain has signed a trade deal with the US so far to avoid steeper tariffs.

5. Will Modi’s visit mark a thaw in ties?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is attending his 6th consecutive G7 Summit, has said he will discuss important global issues with world leaders, including energy security, technology and innovation, and emphasise the priorities of the Global South.

Modi is on his first visit to Canada in a decade. During his last visit in 2015, bilateral ties were elevated to the level of strategic partnership.

Also read: Why was Modi invited to G7 summit? Canadian PM Carney explains

Modi will also hold several bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the Summit. Carney's invitation to Modi to attend the G7 Summit signalled the new government’s intent to repair ties with New Delhi that plummeted to an all-time low over Nijjar’s killing.

According to a statement, the Outreach Segment of the 51st G7 Summit will have one session.

(With agency inputs)