World on Edge At G7: Zelenskyy Warns, Modi Charms, Protesters Rage – Details

Calgary, Canada/New Delhi: The G7 summit opened under the shadow of global crises and diplomatic intrigue, but what stole the spotlight this year was the arrival of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi – stepping into Canada after nearly a decade to rekindle a frosty relationship.

Against the cinematic backdrop of pine-covered peaks and icy winds brushing the Rockies at Kananaskis in Alberta, world leaders were welcomed to the 51st G7 Summit in a setting that felt more like a high-stakes retreat than a diplomatic showdown.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, the host of this year’s leaders meeting, has greeted the leaders at an official welcome ceremony in front of a picturesque pine tree backdrop.

Carney and his wife, Diana Fox Carney, engaged each of the leaders in small talk before posing for photos.

Trump told Carney the setting he chose was “beautiful”.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz during his turn asked Carney about how his one-on-one with Trump went. The prime minister responded, “Fantastic.”

The light banter did not last long. Carney soon switched gears as he took the podium. He formally opened the Group of Seven summit by telling fellow leaders they are meeting at “one of those turning points in history”.

He said the world is “more divided and dangerous” than during past summits and other “hinge moments”, citing G7 gatherings after the fall of the Berlin Wall or the 9/11 terrorist attack on the United States.

With the leaders of the United States, Germany, France, Japan the United Kingdom and Italy seated before him, Carney said, “The world looks to this table for leadership.”

He predicted they would have “frank discussions” over the two-day summit and not always agree, but he said that where they do agree it will make a difference for their citizens.

That difference was already in motion as informal diplomacy kicked off with a splash of red wine and realpolitik.

It began on Sunday night when British Prime Minister Keir Starmer bumped into German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at a lounge area in the mountain resort. Soon, French President Emmanuel Macron and Italy’s Giorgia Meloni joined them. Glasses clinked. Conversations flowed. And the talk turned serious—straight to the escalating tensions between Israel and Iran.

“There is a consensus for de-escalation. The risk of conflict escalating is obvious. The implications, not only for the region but globally, are immense,” U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer later told reporters.

The Israel-Iran tensions now top the summit’s security agenda. It has overtaken even the war in Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy landed in Canada from Vienna with a singular message – Kyiv is not here asking for more aid but it is here to purchase weapons.

“One of the issues I will discuss with President Trump at the meeting is the defence package that Ukraine is ready to buy. We will also discuss frozen Russian assets and sanctions… We all have to work to make sure the alliance between America and Europe does not fall apart,” he said.

He called the G7 a “very important” chance to build pressure on the Kremlin. “I cannot imagine and I do not want to imagine how to fight without the help of the United States,” he added.

UN Chief Flies In

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres arrived in Canada to attend Tuesday’s session on energy security. His agenda is “diversification, technology and investment to ensure access and affordability in a changing world”, according to UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq.

Guterres is also scheduled to meet Canadian PM Mark Carney, the host of this year’s G7. Other closed-door meetings, including a possible one with Trump, remain under wraps.

Amid this charged backdrop, PM Narendra Modi’s entry has created quiet ripples and hope.

Author Kushal Mehra described the visit as “an ice-breaking moment” between India and Canada. “Prime Minister Carney has not given us any reason not to be happy with him… he has stayed away from those (Khalistani) elements. That is a good starting point for India,” he said.

It is a sentiment echoed by Indian business leaders. Harish Consul, CEO of Ocgrow Group, said, “It is a brand new chapter in Canada-India relations… Alberta is the fastest growing region in North America right now… We need to ignore the past and look ahead, and it will start from Modi Ji visiting us.”

The summit marks India’s eleventh participation in G7 Outreach. And as priorities like AI, energy security and private investment take center stage, Modi’s visit sends a strong signal – India is a global player.

Awkward Moment?

In true Donald Trump fashion, the US president made headlines for his dual lapel pins – one featuring the United States and Canadian flags. But in a surprising twist, Canada clarified it was not a gift. “That is all him,” said Carney’s spokesperson Emily Williams.

Though minor, the pin added to the summit’s theatrics – alongside the U.S. president’s trade war rhetoric and delayed arrival, which kept him out of the European leaders’ informal huddle.

Canada has deployed a fortress-like security detail at the summit site, fearing pro-Khalistani protesters as well as grizzlies. “Fence barriers are placed around locations where attractants (food) are present,” said Alberta Public Safety’s Sheena Campbell, adding that bear fences are 8 feet high.

“This year, our top concern is not only politics, it is wildlife,” she said.

Modi’s arrival has electrified Indian-origin communities in Canada. Tarun Jain, an IT professional in Toronto, summed up the mood by saying, “There is a lot of enthusiasm in the Indian community. We still cannot believe that he is coming… Every Indian wants relations between Canada and India to improve.”

But not everyone is celebrating. A small but vocal fringe of Khalistani extremists used the moment to stage anti-India protests, even using young children to disrespect PM Modi’s image.

Back in India, the backlash has been swift. Prof. Sarchand Singh Khyala from Damdami Taksal condemned the act, saying, “The pro-Khalistani people are spewing venom against India… Sikhs are known for harmony, and PM Modi has done a lot for our community.”

Satinder Singh, of the BR Ambedkar Study Circle, added, “There are some extremist forces in Canada who are not able to do anything in India. This is something fatal for both Punjab and Canada.”

Even the Patna Sahib Gurudwara Takht weighed in. Spokesperson Sudeep Singh said: “PM Modi has resolved issues like Kartarpur Sahib Corridor. Such protests are unacceptable and no Sikh can tolerate them.”

For now, the summit continues, packed with critical conversations and symbolic moments. From global unity on Iran and Ukraine to renewed optimism in India-Canada ties, G7 2025 is a test of partnerships in a fractured world.

And in the snowy silence of the Rockies, even as protests echo faintly in the background, a reset may quietly be taking shape.