G7 leaders convene in France amid signs of discord

Washington’s G7 allies hoped myriad signs of discord would not once again torpedo a leaders’ summit that has been carefully built to placate the US.

Longtime transatlantic partners now differ on issues ranging from the conduct and conclusion of the Iran war to support for Ukraine; meanwhile, Japan fears the US is prioritizing accommodating China over backing its Asian allies.

Bloomberg reported that agreeing a summit communiqué was “no longer a priority given divisions with the US issues from trade to climate,” The Wall Street Journal said European countries were “just trying to avoid a fight,” and CNN noted that US President Donald Trump “has repeatedly insulted most of his [G7] counterparts over the last several months.”