Zelensky leaves G-7 with no Trump meeting or fresh arms support from US

KANANASKIS, Alberta - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky left the Group of Seven (G-7) summit on June 17 with new aid from host Canada for its war against Russia, but said diplomacy is in “crisis”, having missed the chance to press US President Donald Trump for more weapons.

The G-7 wealthy nations struggled to find unity over the conflict in Ukraine after Mr Trump expressed support for Russian President Vladimir Putin and left a day early to

address the Israel-Iran conflict

from Washington.

A Canadian official initially said Ottawa had dropped plans for the G-7 to issue a strong statement on the war in Ukraine after resistance from the US.

Ms Emily Williams, director of media relations for Prime Minister Mark Carney, later said no proposed statement on Ukraine had ever been planned.

Mr Carney had started the day by announcing that Ottawa would provide C$2 billion (S$1.88 billion) in new military assistance for Kyiv, as well as impose new financial sanctions.

Mr Zelensky said he had told the G-7 leaders that “diplomacy is now in a state of crisis”, and that they need to continue calling on Mr Trump “to use his real influence” to force an end to the war, in a post on his Telegram account.

Although Canada is one of Ukraine’s most vocal defenders, its ability to help it is far outweighed by that of the US, the largest arms supplier to Kyiv.

Mr Zelensky had said he hoped to talk to Mr Trump about acquiring more weapons.

After the summit in the Rocky Mountain resort area of Kananaskis concluded, Mr Carney issued a chair statement summarising deliberations.

“G-7 leaders expressed support for President Trump’s efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine,” the statement said.

“They recognised that Ukraine has committed to an unconditional ceasefire, and they agreed that Russia must do the same. G-7 leaders are resolute in exploring all options to maximise pressure on Russia, including financial sanctions.”

Canada holds the rotating G-7 presidency in 2025. Other leaders do not need to sign off on G-7 chair statements.

“There would be things that some of us, Canada included, would say above and beyond what was said in the chair summary,” Mr Carney said at a closing news conference.

Mr Trump did agree to a group statement published on June 16 calling for a resolution of the Israel-Iran conflict.

“We had a declaration given the exceptional, fast moving situation in Iran,” Mr Carney said. “We concentrated on that as a specific one. I held this (Ukraine) for my chair summary.”

A European official said leaders had stressed to Mr Trump their plans to be hard on Russia and Mr Trump seemed impressed, though he does not like sanctions in principle.

Three European diplomats said they had heard signals from Mr Trump that he wanted to raise pressure on Mr Putin and consider a US Senate Bill drafted by Senator Lindsey Graham, but that he had not committed to anything.

“I am returning to Germany with cautious optimism that decisions will also be made in America in the coming days to impose further sanctions against Russia,” German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said.

G-7 leaders agreed on six other statements about migrant smuggling, artificial intelligence, critical minerals, wildfires, transnational repression and quantum computing.

Kremlin says G-7 looks “rather useless”

Mr Trump said on June 16 he needed to be back in Washington as soon as possible due to the situation in the Middle East, where escalating attacks between Iran and Israel have raised risks of a broader regional conflict.

A White House official on June 17 said Mr Trump explained that he returned to the US because it is better to hold high-level National Security Council meetings in person, rather than over the phone.

Upon arriving at the summit, Mr Trump said that the then Group of Eight had been wrong to expel Russia after Mr Putin ordered the occupation of Crimea in 2014.

The Kremlin said on June 17 that Mr Trump was right, and that the G-7 was no longer significant for Russia and looked “rather useless”.

Many leaders had hoped to negotiate trade deals with Mr Trump, but the only deal signed was the finalisation of the US-UK deal announced in May. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent remained at the summit after Mr Trump left.

Mr Carney also invited non-G-7 members Mexico, India, Australia, South Africa, South Korea and Brazil, as he tries to shore up alliances elsewhere and diversify Canada’s exports away from the US.

Mr Carney warmly welcomed Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on June 17, after two years of tense relations between Canada and India. REUTERS