Carney’s office retracts claim U.S. wanted to water down language on Ukraine at G7

Officials in Prime Minister Mark Carney’s office have retracted earlier comments suggesting that the U.S. wanted to water down a statement about Russia’s war in Ukraine on the final day of the G7 summit in Alberta.

During the G7’s closing remarks on Tuesday evening, Prime Minister Carney addressed the absence of a joint statement on Ukraine. He explained that the leaders focused on a declaration regarding the rapidly evolving situation in Iran. When asked about the lack of a statement on Ukraine and whether it was due to a disagreement with the U.S. over language concerning Russia’s invasion, Carney skirted the question. However, he did mention that his chair summary did include language about Ukraine.

Earlier in the day, an official from the Prime Minister’s Office had informed reporters that discussions were ongoing about a joint statement on Ukraine. However, the statement did not materialize because the U.S. was hesitant to include certain pointed remarks about Russia that could potentially jeopardize negotiations with the country. This led to a rather unusual closing press conference where Carney faced questions about the failed statement.

Carney clarified that while there was no joint statement, the chair summary did express support for President Trump’s efforts to achieve peace in Ukraine. He also mentioned that Canada was willing to go further in its official language on Ukraine than what was actually included in the summary. The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of pursuing all options to exert pressure on Russia, including financial sanctions.

The subsequent backpedaling from Carney’s office indicated the delicate nature of dealing with President Trump. The situation was further complicated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s early departure from Canada following a deadly attack in Kyiv and Trump’s decision to skip part of the summit. Zelenskyy’s call for a peace deal in Ukraine added urgency to the discussions.

Despite the lack of a joint statement on Ukraine, Carney announced new measures to support the country, including additional military aid and sanctions on Russia’s shadow fleet and energy revenues. The G7 did find consensus on other issues, such as the Kananaskis Wildfire Charter and statements on various topics like transnational repression and artificial intelligence.

The group also agreed on a critical minerals action plan to secure supply chains for essential materials needed for defense and technology. Additionally, the wildfire charter aims to enhance international cooperation in fighting wildfires, a matter of particular importance to Canada following recent wildfire seasons.

Overall, while the lack of a joint statement on Ukraine raised questions and concerns, the G7 summit still yielded agreements on crucial issues and highlighted the importance of international cooperation in addressing global challenges.