"Everyone must evacuate immediately from Tehran."
On the 16th (local time) in Canada, during the second day of the G7 (Group of Seven) summit, U.S. President Donald Trump posted a brief message on his social media. Rather than engaging in discussions with the world's most powerful leaders on solutions to the Middle East crisis, the U.S. president diverted his attention to an external public relations campaign.
This year's G7 concluded disappointingly, unable to issue even a joint declaration on the Iran-Israel war, which was one of the most important agendas. It was a moment that rendered moot the notion of being the highest consultative body to bolster Western unity.
The G7 summit held at a luxurious resort in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada, for three days starting from the 15th, had a shaky start.
Key European leaders such as U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and French President Emmanuel Macron were expected to discuss global issues like the Ukraine war, countering China, and climate change with President Trump. However, the atmosphere of the meeting remained consistently chaotic.
On the second day, President Trump unexpectedly said, "We need to focus on the Middle East situation," and returned to Washington, D.C. With the U.S. president, who plays the lead role in the G7, absent, the meeting lost momentum.
On the 18th, Bloomberg noted, "As Trump erased the hope for unity, the G7 confronted a new reality."
The G7 also openly revealed discord among its members. French President Macron attempted to clarify, stating, "President Trump left for a ceasefire between Iran and Israel," but Trump immediately retorted, "He (Macron) doesn't know why I'm going back to Washington. It's nothing to do with a ceasefire." It was a scene where mutual respect among allied leaders was hard to find.
The New York Times (NYT) analyzed, "With Trump's return to the G7, the rift with allies has deepened," and "Fundamental questions are being raised about the G7's role and capacity."
The G7 first convened in 1975 to confront the oil crisis. It began with six countries: the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom, and grew to the G7 when Canada joined the following year.
They successfully lowered the surging dollar value through the 'Plaza Accord' in 1985. In 1996, they created the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative, deciding to forgive the debts of poor nations, thus playing the role of global economic coordinator. During the 2008 global financial crisis, they expanded their framework to the Group of Twenty (G20) and were credited with leading economic recovery.
However, since the Trump administration's second term began in the U.S. and nationalism became prevalent, the G7, which was based on consensus, began to be shaken from its roots.
Unusually, the host country Canada abandoned the adoption of a comprehensive joint statement at this year's meeting. Instead, only summary documents on individual topics were prepared. However, even these were ultimately not approved by the U.S., leaving the meeting practically empty-handed.
When the G7 was established, the member countries accounted for more than 60% of the global GDP. Fifty years later, that share has shrunk to around 44%. The population represents only 10% of the world. This continuing criticism highlights the questions about whether the 'advanced country club,' excluding major emerging nations like China, India, and Brazil, is qualified to discuss global governance.
There are analyses suggesting that the G7 is experiencing confusion regarding its very identity. President Trump is advocating for Russia, which was expelled from the G7 following the forced annexation of Crimea in Ukraine in 2014, to be readmitted, returning to the G8.
International relations experts unanimously noted that the G7 can no longer symbolize a united front of major Western countries as it did during the Cold War.
The U.K. Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House, pointed out, "In an era where all countries prioritize their own national interests, the G7 alone cannot effectively address complex global crises."
Critics state that the G7 must redefine its role to avoid becoming a 'zombie club.' Rather than chasing after grand narratives, it should focus on creating concrete and practical cooperation models.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) stated, "The G7 should transform from a club of advanced nations into a coalition of action-oriented partners committed to upholding international order based on rules," and emphasized considering effective and legitimate ways to utilize the capacities the G7 possesses.