G7 2025: A Summit Caught Between Old Alliances and New Powers

G7. Illustrative photo: ukrinform.ua

The 2025 G7 summit in Canada, which included leaders from both established economies and emerging nations, underscored the ongoing shift toward a multipolar global order. However, disagreements among participants and a disruptive stance from Donald Trump hindered consensus, leaving crucial topics like support for Ukraine unresolved.

Dive in this topic with Anton Kuchukhidze, political scientist and foreign policy analyst, expert at the “United Ukraine” Think Tank, in his article for The Gaze.

At the beginning Kuchukhidze explains that this year’s summit was notable for the participation of new G7 leaders, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and the return of U.S. President Donald Trump, attending his first summit since 2019.

The inclusion of these new leaders, alongside a wider group of invited participants such as India’s Narendra Modi, South Korea’s Lee Jae-myung, and Australia’s Anthony Albanese, highlighted the G7’s push for a more inclusive and representative format. India’s invitation was especially important given its status as the world’s fifth-largest economy, despite recent tensions with Canada over allegations related to the 2023 assassination of a Sikh activist.

This shift signals the G7’s acknowledgment of the necessity to involve countries from the Global South and other regional powers in tackling global issues. The summit aimed to create a new dialogue format that reflects the multipolar nature of today’s world, where influence is spread across several centers. Still, the lack of concrete outcomes underscored the complexities involved in this global transition.

According to the expert, economic stability was a major focus, especially given the trade tariffs imposed by President Trump that alarmed many allies. G7 leaders urged Trump to remove these tariffs, warning they undermine G7 economies and benefit China. Despite these concerns, the summit’s main economic achievement was a U.S.-UK trade deal lowering tariffs on British cars and aerospace goods.

On digital transformation, discussions centered on AI ethics, with support voiced for the Hiroshima Code of Conduct and the OECD framework. Climate-related talks addressed energy security and disaster resilience—highlighting events like Alberta’s forest fires—but failed to produce concrete commitments, particularly regarding green energy financing.

The absence of significant decisions highlights the challenges of consensus-building in a multipolar world where the priorities of G7 members and invited nations often diverge.

All in all, political scientist concludes that the G7 failed to issue a unified statement on Ukraine due to U.S. resistance aimed at softening language about Russia. Instead, the final declaration, released by Mark Carney, expressed support for President Trump’s efforts to secure “a just and lasting peace” in Ukraine but emphasized that Russia must agree to an unconditional ceasefire. Separately, Canada pledged 4.3 billion Canadian dollars (approximately $3.1 billion) in aid to Ukraine, including drones and military equipment.

This outcome highlights the necessity for Ukraine to ramp up its diplomatic efforts to sustain partner support. Kyiv will need to intensify bilateral talks, especially with European nations and Canada, to ensure ongoing financial and military aid.

For Ukraine, the summit underscored the importance of reinforcing diplomacy to keep the war with Russia at the forefront of international attention. As the world grows increasingly multipolar, the G7 must adapt by embracing flexible and inclusive dialogue, but this also poses challenges for countries reliant on the group’s backing. Moving forward, the G7 will need to reconsider its format to maintain its relevance in the evolving global landscape.

Read the full article by Anton Kuchukhidze on The Gaze: G7 2025: A Summit Caught Between Old Alliances and New Powers

Read also: NATO at a Crossroads: How Ukraine Is Forcing the Alliance to Reevaluate Its Structure