Deadlock in Kananaskis

Mr Trump's departure ended meaningful progress at G7

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If proof were needed, the 51st meeting of the G7 in the idyllic setting of Kananaskis, Alberta, hosted by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, offered the most visible evidence yet that the Western consensus on rules-based democracy and trade has fragmented under United States (US) President Donald Trump.

The two-day meeting had an elaborate agenda that included such lofty themes as "strengthening partnerships for financing development and shared prosperity", an AI (artificial intelligence) initiative for growth and building critical mineral-supply chains, and migrant smuggling, apart from discussions on Iran and Ukraine.

The fact that a joint communique was off the table underlined the disarray in the ranks, although there were some joint statements on individual topics.

Mr Trump's abrupt decision to abandon the summit and return to Washington DC on the first day due to developments related to the Iran-Israel war ensured that the summit ended in stalemate.