US President Donald Trump arrived in Canada last night for his first Group of Seven (G-7) summit since returning to the White House. The visit comes amid strained relations with his partners, caused by tariffs and provocative hints of annexation of Canada, international agencies reported, BTA reports.
The two-day forum begins today in the resort town of Kananaskis, west of Calgary, in the province of Alberta. The main topic of the meeting is whether the major industrial countries can achieve unity despite serious disagreements between Washington and the other members.
The event is hosted by the new Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who took office in March and won the election with a clearly anti-Trump stance. Immediately after his election, Carney said he would firmly oppose aggressive US foreign policy.
Trump, for his part, has increased tensions in recent months by imposing punitive tariffs on Canadian goods and even demanding that Canada give up its independence and become part of the United States. This has caused widespread public outrage in the country.
During his visit to Washington in May, Carney stressed Canada's sovereignty, declaring that "Canada is not for sale" - to which Trump replied meaningfully: "Never say never."
The two leaders are expected to hold a bilateral meeting today before consultations with the rest of the G-7 partners begin.