Fast-tracking Trade Talks!
Kananaskis, Canada, Jun 16 (EFE).-
United States President Donald Trump is using the G7 Summit in Canada to push forward a series of trade negotiations with key allies, announcing a 30-day deadline to reach a deal with Canada, while signing a tariff-cutting agreement with the United Kingdom and ordering teams to speed up talks with the European Union.
US President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney agreed on Monday to reach a new bilateral trade agreement within 30 days, following a 70-minute meeting on the sidelines of the summit in Kananaskis.
According to a statement from the Canadian Prime Minister’s Office, the two leaders discussed “immediate trade pressures and priorities for workers and businesses in both countries.”
The statement added, “Both leaders agreed to negotiations with the goal of reaching a deal in the next 30 days.”
The meeting also covered critical minerals, drug trafficking, border security, and defense cooperation.
Tensions between Ottawa and Washington have escalated in recent months.
Upon taking office in April, Carney declared the traditional Canada–U.S. relationship had ended after Trump floated the idea of annexing Canada and imposed tariffs on Canadian goods, including aluminum and steel.
“We have different concepts. Mine is about tariffs—I’m a tariff person,” he said. “Mark’s idea is more complex but also very good. It’s possible we can reach an agreement in the coming weeks,” Trump said on Monday.
Trump signs tariff deal with UK
Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer signed a new trade agreement on Monday, reducing US tariffs on British automobiles, aluminum, and steel, in exchange for broader access to the UK market for U.S. beef and ethanol.
“This is fair to both sides and will create many jobs and investments,” Trump told reporters, although he mistakenly referred to the deal as one “with the European Union.”
Starmer called it a “very important” step and said, “Today is a great day.”
Under the terms, the US will allow up to 100,000 UK-manufactured vehicles into the country at a 10% tariff, compared to the 25% imposed on other nations.
Additionally, a quota will be set for British steel and aluminum that will be exempt from the 25% tariff.
EU and US instruct teams to accelerate talks
Trump also held a bilateral meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The two agreed to instruct their teams to accelerate trade negotiations, which have stalled over US threats to raise tariffs.
“On trade, we instructed our teams to speed up their work to reach a fair and positive agreement,” von der Leyen posted on X alongside a photo with Trump.
The EU is hoping to reach a preliminary agreement before Jul. 9, the new deadline Trump set after delaying tariff hikes last month.
He had earlier threatened to increase tariffs on European products from 20% to 50% if Brussels failed to make progress.
European Council President António Costa acknowledged the tensions with Washington:
“There are clear problems, and that’s why this summit is crucial to reaching agreements,” he told EFE upon arriving at Kananaskis.
Canada’s Prime Minister warns of a “historic turning point”
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney warned at the start of the G7 Summit in Kananaskis on Monday that the world is at a “historic turning point” and that the G7 must adapt to the new reality given the “massive changes” underway.
Carney recalled that the G7 began exactly 50 years ago with a meeting in France to respond to the serious political and economic challenges of the time, which led to “a long period of prosperity.”
“Now the world is more divided and more dangerous. Hostile states and terrorists have expanded their capabilities and reach, threatening global security. Global trade, energy systems, and even global intelligence are being redesigned,” he added.
With Donald Trump to his left, the Canadian Prime Minister made a conciliatory gesture to the US President, whose tariff policy has caused instability in the global commercial system.
Trump’s remarks at the summit have reaffirmed his position: “I’m a person of tariffs,” he repeated. “That’s how we get things done.”
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt announced on social media Trump’s decision not to meet with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum or Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, as had been planned. int-seo
