Contributed by Joe Montero

The G7 summit in Canada has come and gone with a whimper. This was supposed to be a key meeting of the biggest western economies steering the global economy into the future. But they are no longer the world’s biggest economies. The G7 represents the declining western economies, whose place on the stage has been taken by China, Russia, India, South Africa, and Brazil, and other members of the BRICS alliance. They represent the rowing economies.

Being the body that in essence represents the old western colonial powers, The United Sates, some of the nations of Western Europe, and Japan. Canada is there too. But this doesn’t change what the group represents. The G7’s biggest problem is that its efforts to desperately hold onto past glories and maintain superiority in a rapidly changing world is not going so well.

The counterweight economic rise of China, Russia, Sluth Africa, Iran, India, Indonesia, and other members in the BRICS alliance represents more economic clout, simply because they are the rising economies and represent the majority of the world’s population. In this corner lies the heart of global manufacturing, the biggest part of natural resources, and the shift to new technologies, providing an edge for future sustainable development.

Photo by Ricardo Stuckert/PR: The BRICS summit in Brazil coming in July will be far more significant than the G77 in Canada

What do the formally great powers offer? Shrinking or at least stagnant economies. They are in a mess, with declining living standards, far too little investment where it counts, declining innovation, and more. The solution provided by their leaders is more of the same neoliberal measures that have contributed to their decline.

Faced with this dead end the drift towards irrelevance, the focus of the G7 has shifted from purely economic plans for their collective future to aggressive posturing and gunboat diplomacy. The situation also tends to sharpen divisions among the members. When the presidents and prime ministers came together in Canada’s picturesque Rocky Mountains, war led the agenda. But it also showed an especially weakened Europe.

The 2025 summit became thew Donald Trump show. Europe’s heads of state were there on bended knee, in the mistaken view that Trump would use the still formidable military muscle for their Ukraine ambitions and revitalisation of their global spheres of influence. They were disappointed.

Image from NBC: The 2025 G7 meeting was turned into the Donald Trump show

For his part, Trump tried to get endorsement for military action against Iran He failed. Europe, which is far more dependent on oil from the region is less sure. The leaders present at the summit must contend with public opinion that is solidly against them, and the bombing started by Israel has made matters worse. European public opinion is not on Israel’s side by a long shot. Consequently, the Europeans put it that they were not in favour of escalating the conflict. They want more negotiation.

France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, urged restraint. Britain’s Keir Starmer, facing immense unpopularity at home and embroiled in a corruption scandal, doesn’t need more marks against him. He avoided committing to direct military involvement, and said he supported the call for de-escalation.

Trump abruptly left and headed back to Washington. The Trump show was over. the abrupt departure This was showmanship executed to show the others who is in charge.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced that Iran was open to resuming talks with the United States. In fact, Iran had never left the talks. It had been Trump who walked away during his first term. This was continued by Biden. The policy of not talking has continued in Trump’s second term.

There were a couple of other issues on the sidelines. Ukraine’s Zelenskyy turned up hoping for a lifeline. Key to this was a private meeting with Trump. He was ignored. British Prime Minister Kier Starmer getting on his hands to pick up Trump’s dropped papers, while Trump looked down and not even bothering to thank him was not a good look.

At the end of the line was Australia’s Anthony Albanese. He had gone there under a flurry of Australian publicity to be honoured with his own meeting and photo shoot with Donald Trump. He was ignored too.

Photo from News.Com: Anthony Albanese was ignored and stood down by Donald Trump

Trump knows that Albo will do whatever he is told. He knows that Australia will continue to be committed to the disastrous AUKUS submarine disaster, and Australia will be made to jump into any war when required. Like with Zelensky, Trump could have met the Australian Prime Minister if he wanted to. He had time. But Australia is seen as no more than a vassal and not worthy of being treated as an equal.

After the Donald Trump show was over, there was no longer a compelling reason to continue. It failed to achieve agreement on anything. Nio high flying statement came out at the end. There was nothing on how to deal with the economic problems of the day or responding to the rising discontent within the member countries. There was nothing about action on the climate. The G7 proved its rising irrelevance.