Kananaskis, Canada – Leaders of the G7 nations have called for a “de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza,” following a summit overshadowed by escalating tensions between Israel and Iran. The joint statement, issued from the Canadian Rockies on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, stopped short of demanding a direct ceasefire between the two regional adversaries.
US President Donald Trump signed the communiqué before departing the meeting early, citing only “obvious reasons” and denying his departure was linked to a ceasefire. His press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, later attributed his early exit to “what’s going on in the Middle East” but offered no further specifics. Earlier, President Trump had urged Iranians to “immediately evacuate Tehran” on his Truth Social account, triggering speculation about potential US military involvement in Israeli attacks – a prospect denied by American officials. However, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth later announced the “deployment of additional capabilities” to the Middle East, aimed at enhancing the Pentagon’s “defensive posture.”
The G7 leaders’ statement, published as Mr. Trump left Canada, affirmed Israel’s right to defend itself and reiterated that Iran should not possess nuclear weapons, branding Tehran as a “principal source of regional instability and terror.” The call for a broader de-escalation represented a diplomatic compromise to maintain G7 unity, despite reports of earlier divisions over the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine.
Following his departure, Mr. Trump continued to use Truth Social, notably lambasting French President Emmanuel Macron. Mr. Trump claimed his French counterpart had mistakenly suggested he was working on a ceasefire, insisting his early return to Washington was for “Much bigger than that.” G7 leaders had publicly expressed understanding for Mr. Trump’s early exit, with Mr. Macron remarking that “If the United States can achieve a ceasefire, that’s a very good thing.”
Amidst the diplomatic manoeuvring, reports from Iranian media in the early hours of Tuesday indicated explosions and heavy air defence fire in Tehran, while Israeli cities like Tel Aviv experienced air raid sirens and explosions from Iranian missile attacks. Beyond the immediate crisis, the summit also saw President Trump formally sign a trade deal with the United Kingdom, removing some trade barriers between the two countries. However, his controversial comments earlier at the summit, suggesting it was a “big mistake” for Russia to be expelled from the G8 in 2014, also drew attention.
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