The meeting comes at a critical geopolitical moment, marking the first in-person gathering of G7 leaders since Israel’s recent strikes on Iran
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will travel to Canada later today for a high-stakes meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, ahead of the G7 summit set to begin on Sunday in Alberta. The two leaders are scheduled to hold talks in Ottawa on Saturday evening, where discussions are expected to focus heavily on trade and global security cooperation.
According to the BBC, the meeting comes at a critical geopolitical moment, marking the first in-person gathering of G7 leaders since Israel’s recent strikes on Iran. Both Starmer and Carney will aim to reset and revitalise bilateral ties between the UK and Canada, particularly after months of limited progress on trade talks.
The UK-Canada trade negotiations hit a standstill early last year following disagreements over access to each other’s beef and dairy markets. While technical-level contact has continued between the two nations, one senior Whitehall source described the recent discussions as “not in earnest… not anything substantial.” Saturday’s meeting will be the first serious diplomatic engagement between the two governments on the matter since Starmer’s election victory.
Starmer and Carney look to hit refresh on UK–Canada ties, aiming to revive stalled trade talks and boost a flagging partnership.
Carney’s office said the goal of the meeting was to “strengthen the long-standing economic and security partnership between the two nations.” The leaders are expected to explore options for reviving a comprehensive trade agreement and building cooperation in emerging technologies and defence.
While both leaders are seen as centrists, their public handling of relations with the United States—especially President Donald Trump—has sharply diverged. Starmer has shown a conciliatory tone in his approach to Trump’s return to the White House, offering a state visit invitation that some critics have labelled premature and overly deferential.
Carney, by contrast, has taken a more combative stance. During his campaign, he rejected Trump’s portrayal of Canada as “America’s 51st state” and voiced concern over Starmer’s outreach to Washington. The BBC notes that tensions between the two leaders on this front may subtly shape the tone of their Saturday meeting.
On Sunday, both prime ministers will fly together to the picturesque resort of Kananaskis in the Canadian Rockies for the annual G7 summit. There, they will be joined by leaders from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the European Union, and the United States. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is also expected to attend.
With pressing issues ranging from climate change and AI to war in Europe and global trade instability, the three-day summit is expected to be one of the most consequential in recent years.
