G7 in Canada: Between Geopolitical Tensions and Trade Fracture
Gathered since June 15, 2025, in Kananaskis, in the Canadian Rockies, the leaders of the world’s seven major economic powers (Germany, Canada, the United States, France, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom) are striving to present a united front amid an extremely tense geopolitical climate. On the agenda of this G7 summit: military escalation in the Middle East, increased support for Ukraine, and above all, the United States’ growing protectionist shift and its impact on the global trading order.
While the conflict between Israel and Iran has become the dominant topic of this G7, marked by a series of strikes and counterstrikes since June 13, discussions are aiming to avoid polarization among G7 members. While the United States is advocating for explicit support for Israel, several European voices, led by Ursula von der Leyen and Emmanuel Macron, are calling for de-escalation and a diplomatic solution. No sanctions against Tel Aviv are being considered, despite calls for a lasting ceasefire in Gaza.
In this context of regional tension, the stability of trade routes in the Middle East and the energy security of European countries could be at risk, underscoring the urgent need to safeguard strategic supply chains.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, invited to the summit, is striving to keep pressure on G7 members for increased military support in the face of a still-aggressive Russia. But the balance is delicate. While Donald Trump continues to move closer to Moscow, European leaders are pushing for new sanctions—particularly targeting Russian oil exports. The future of energy trade, particularly oil and gas imports, could be profoundly reshaped depending on the outcome of these diplomatic negotiations.
Beyond military conflicts, it is in the economic arena that tensions among G7 members are most palpable.
Donald Trump, staying true to his “America First” stance, has recently imposed a minimum 10% tariff on nearly all products imported into the United States. This unilateral measure, with global reach, calls into question the very foundations of free trade among industrialized powers.
Several European leaders voiced their concerns during bilateral meetings. Ursula von der Leyen called for preserving trade that is “fair, predictable, and open” and urged to “avoid protectionism,” while Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is striving to forge a consensus on a common position. In reality, no final communiqué is expected at the close of the summit—a clear sign of an increasingly acknowledged rift over trade issues.
In this climate of economic retreat, the credibility of international institutions such as the WTO is at stake. The erosion of multilateralism, already evident in recent years, is accelerating under the impact of unilateral U.S. decisions and growing geopolitical fragmentation.
The G7 could have been an opportunity for a collective realignment around shared trade rules and a coordinated revival of international trade negotiations. But the rifts now appear too deep, and the global climate too uncertain, to realistically hope for a swift return to a globalized, regulated, and predictable trading system.
Amid the resurgence of protectionism, armed conflicts with heavy economic consequences, and internal disagreements over global governance, this G7 summit reflects a world in flux. For import-export professionals, the moment calls for strategic vigilance: anticipating tariff barriers, reassessing trade routes, and strengthening regulatory monitoring tools are now top priorities. More than ever, customs is emerging as a barometer of geopolitical tensions, and a lever of economic sovereignty that must be reimagined.
