Trade and security are likely to be the main issues this year in Canada. Last year's G7 meeting was held in Italy. From L-R, European Council President Donald Tusk, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, U.S. President Donald Trump, Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, French President Emmanuel Macron, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker at last year's G7 Summit in Taormina, Sicily, Italy, May 26, 2017. (REUTERS)

When leaders from seven of the major industrial countries, known as the G7, meet in Canada, it will likely be the G6 and the United States. Canada’s finance minister Bill Morneau says the focus of the meeting will be on trade – especially what he has called U.S. President Donald Trump’s “absurd” tariffs.

Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain and the U.S. make up the Group of Seven (G7). The group meets yearly to discuss issues like the international economy and security. Last week, Trump announced the U.S. would put tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Canada, Mexico, and the European Union. Trump called the tariffs part of “fair and reciprocal trade.” But Morneau says he expects the G7 will continue to try to pressure the U.S. to reconsider.

Trump has recently angered other G7 leaders over other issues, too. Last month he withdrew the U.S. from a deal to monitor Iran’s nuclear activities. And his efforts to improve ties between the U.S. and North Korea risk pushing Japan aside. French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire spoke to reporters on Friday before meeting with other G7 finance officials. “What this G7 is going to show is that the United States are alone against everyone and especially alone against their allies,” he said.

Aliqismet BADALOV,

“Khalq qazeti”