G7, Israel-Iran tension at the center of the summit: Meloni protagonist of mediation

The G7 leaders' summit kicks off today in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada, a crucial event to discuss the main global challenges. At the center of the negotiations will be complex issues such as international conflicts, trade tensions and energy security. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is actively participating, with the aim of promoting dialogue and encouraging a de-escalation of tensions, particularly on the Middle Eastern front.

The summit, which will continue until June 17, represents a key moment to define common strategies and strengthen cooperation between the world's major economies.

G7: Summit kicks off amid global crises, diplomacy and immigration

The summit will begin today with a first phase dedicated to the restricted format of the G7, which will be divided into sessions on topics such as the global economy, community safety, energy and critical materials. A dinner is planned for the evening, presumably focused on foreign policy issues, with attention not only to the Middle East, but also to the Indo-Pacific and the situation in Ukraine.

Tuesday will be dedicated to outreach, with a session on Ukraine with Zelensky present — a meeting with Meloni is possible — and another on technological innovation and energy security. The summit will close with thematic statements on AI, critical materials, transnational repression and wildfires, a priority for Canada.

After yesterday's bilateral meetings with Chancellor Merz and Prime Minister Starmer, Meloni will have new meetings today, starting with Canadian guest Mark Carney. No formal meeting is planned with President Trump, but diplomatic sources confirm contacts between the two. On the sidelines of the G7 summit, US President Donald Trump will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. This was announced by a White House official during a briefing with journalists accompanying the president. Also on the agenda is a bilateral meeting with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.

On the Israel-Iran crisis , Italy maintains a line based on de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy. The topic of immigration will also be central to the summit: Canada, in continuity with the Italian presidency, has scheduled a session dedicated to migratory flows and security. At the Italian proposal, a declaration against illegal immigration is expected, in line with the common commitment started in Borgo Egnazia in 2024.

There will be no joint statement at the end of the G7, due to strong differences between Trump and the other leaders on Ukraine, the Middle East, climate and development aid, diplomatic sources said. Instead, seven short statements will be released on the key issues of the summit : development, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, fires, strategic minerals, transnational repression and migrant trafficking.

The G7 summit opening in Alberta, Canada, takes on a special symbolic value: it marks the 50th anniversary of the birth of this format, established after the oil crisis of the 1970s to coordinate responses to major global economic challenges. The current edition is also strongly marked by the geopolitical context, in particular by the growing tension in the Middle East.

On the eve of the meeting, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni intensified diplomatic contacts on the conflict. According to sources at Palazzo Chigi, she had telephone conversations with the Emir of Qatar , Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and with the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa.

On Sunday evening, again on the eve of the Kananaskis summit, Meloni met with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz . As reported by Palazzo Chigi, the meeting – which follows shortly after the recent face-to-face meeting in Rome – confirmed the shared desire to organize a new edition of the Italy-Germany intergovernmental summit in Rome at the beginning of 2026 and to maintain close coordination on the main European dossiers, such as the fight against irregular immigration and economic competitiveness.

The meeting also provided an opportunity to exchange views on the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, also in view of the upcoming NATO summit in The Hague.