G-7 summit: Trump, Modi to discuss trade deal, official says, Iran war, Hormuz to be welcomed with Arab, European leaders | Today’s news
US President Donald Trump is expected to discuss plans to mine the Strait of Hormuz with allies during the Group of Seven summit in France next week, a senior US administration official said on Saturday. On Monday, Trump will travel to Evian, France, for the G7 summit, where he will also meet with several world leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ukrainian President Zelensky.
Trump will attend the G-7 summit
On Tuesday, Trump will have a bilateral meeting with the Emir of Qatar and the President of the United Arab Emirates. He will also meet the President of Egypt and attend a working lunch with G7 and Middle Eastern leaders.
Read also | The US bombed southern Iran after an Apache helicopter was shot down over Hormuz
What’s on Trump’s agenda?
While there is no official word on the agenda for his meetings, Trump is likely to discuss efforts to end the war in Iran with Middle Eastern leaders.
The US president is also expected to discuss plans to mine the Strait of Hormuz with European allies. Britain and France, both members of the G7, have expressed an interest in helping clear the critical waterway once the conflict is suspended.
Read also | There will be no signing of the memorandum in Islamabad on Sunday: Iran
It was not immediately clear how many mines were in the strait, which Iran has effectively controlled since it effectively cut off oil and gas supplies from the Persian Gulf shortly after the war began.
Trump is also scheduled to attend a working meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Although no bilateral meeting has been planned, officials said the two leaders may meet on the sidelines of the summit.
Trump planned to raise issues of shared importance with the leaders at the summit, including economic growth and development, supply chain resilience, illegal migration and artificial intelligence, one of the officials said. He also planned to work to build resilience in the supply chain for critical minerals needed for advanced technologies.
Trump-Modi meeting in France
On Saturday, the White House also confirmed that Trump will meet with Indian Prime Minister Modi on the sidelines of the G-7 summit on June 17.
Trade will be discussed during President Donald Trump’s meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during next week’s meeting in France, but no agreement on a trade deal is expected at the summit, the official said.
India-US trade agreement
“We know that Prime Minister Modi is quite ambitious about the role he sees for India, about the importance of the US-India relationship,” the official told reporters. “We think part of that is a potential trade deal.”
Read also | Why Piyush Goyal thinks India should not worry about US Section 301
Trump will insist on reaching a “very good deal,” the official said, adding: “We think a very good deal is possible. I don’t think we’ll make that deal at the G7.”
A senior US official said Trump and Modi would have a good opportunity to review trade talks, but further technical discussions would likely be needed to seal a deal.
G-7 summit in France
The Group of Seven summit, to be held on June 15-17 in the French city of Evian-les-Bains, will bring together leaders from the world’s major economies, including Trump, along with high-level delegations from other countries such as India.
Modi left on Saturday for a week-long visit to France and Slovakia, during which he will attend the G7 summit and hold discussions with world leaders on a range of bilateral and global issues.
