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Last Updated:June 17, 2025, 07:50 IST
Donald Trump refused to endorse a G7 call for de-escalation in the Israel-Iran conflict and left the summit early, citing urgent Middle East developments.
President Donald Trump waves as he boards Air Force One (Photo: AP)
US President Donald Trump would not sign a draft statement calling for de-escalation of the Israel-Iran conflict, a US official said. Moreover, Trump said he was leaving the Group of Seven summit in Canada a day early due to the situation in the Middle East, according to a White House statement.
At a group photo with fellow G7 leaders in the scenic mountain resort of Kananaskis, Trump said, “I have to be back as soon as I can. I wish I could stay for tomorrow, but they understand, this is big stuff."
Before his decision was publicly announced, Trump told reporters, “As soon as I leave here, we’re going to be doing something."
The President, who has praised Israel’s strikes despite his stated preference for diplomacy, said Iran would be “foolish" not to agree to a negotiated settlement.
“It’s painful for both parties, but I’d say Iran is not winning this war, and they should talk, and they should talk immediately, before it’s too late," Trump told reporters as he met Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
“Much was accomplished, but because of what’s going on in the Middle East, President Trump will be leaving tonight after dinner with Heads of State," Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote in an X post later.
Trump had earlier urged everyone to immediately evacuate Tehran, and reiterated that Iran should have signed a nuclear deal with the United States.
The G7 has struggled to find unity over conflicts in Ukraine and between Israel and Iran as Trump overtly expressed support for Russian President Vladimir Putin and has imposed tariffs on many of the allies present.
Commenting on the developments, French President Emmanuel Macron said Trump had made an offer for a ceasefire between Israel and Iran. However, Macron added that Trump’s departure was positive, given the objective of getting a ceasefire.
“There is indeed an offer to meet and exchange. An offer was made especially to get a ceasefire and to then kick-start broader discussions," Macron told reporters.
“We have to see now whether the sides will follow," he said.
G7 leaders from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the US, along with the European Union, had convened in the resort area of Kananaskis in the Canadian Rockies until Tuesday.
WHAT TRUMP SAID ON RUSSIA INVADING UKRAINE
Speaking alongside Mark Carney earlier, Trump said the former Group of Eight had been wrong to kick out Russia in 2014 after it annexed Crimea.
“This was a big mistake," Trump said, adding he believed Russia would not have invaded Ukraine in 2022 had Putin not been ejected.
“Putin speaks to me. He doesn’t speak to anybody else, he’s not a happy person about it. I can tell you that he basically doesn’t even speak to the people that threw him out, and I agree with him," Trump said.
Though Trump stopped short of saying Russia should be reinstated in the group, his comments had raised doubts about how much Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky can achieve when he is scheduled to meet the leaders on Tuesday.
“It was a rough start," said Josh Lipsky, a former senior IMF official who now chairs the international economics department at the Atlantic Council.
Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.
Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.
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News world Donald Trump Wouldn't Sign G7 Draft On De-Escalation Of Iran-Israel Conflict: US Official
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