𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Downing Street failed to deny that a spontaneous meeting with Keir Starmer and other G7 leaders last night was an attempt to prepare a strategy for dealing with Donald Trump. Sir Keir held court over an impromptu glass of wine in the G7 summit hotel before President Trump’s late-night arrival, attended by Italy’s Meloni, France’s Macron, Canada’s Carney and Germany’s Merz.

It lasted for about an hour, in unusual scenes for what is usually a highly choreographed event. The Prime Minister sat down with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz before being joined by the three other leaders, at which point wine was ordered. A Downing Street spokesman failed to deny that the meeting had been used to agree a strategy for handling Donald Trump ahead of his arrival.

The US president has already sparked chaos after he suggested that China should become a member of the annual summit, and that Russia should be let back in.

He told cameras following his meeting with Canadian PM Mark Carney: “The G-7 used to be the G-8. Barack Obama and a person named [former Prime Minister Justin] Trudeau didn’t want to have Russia in, and I would say that was a mistake, because I think you wouldn’t have a war right now if you had Russia in.”

He also said he “wouldn’t mind” bringing China into the group. A Downing Street spokesman initially refused to comment on President Trump’s suggestion, before saying that Sir Keir is “happy with the make up of the G7”.

The same spokesman rejected the characterisation that the summit is already hopelessly divided on both Russia and the Middle East.

US media outlets are already reporting that Donald Trump will not be signing a joint G7 statement on Israel and Iran.

The last G7 held in Canada, in 2018, ended in chaos when Donald Trump tore up the communique and left early following a row with then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Sir Keir is set for his first one-to-one meeting with President Trump this evening, where he is expected to push for official implementation of his recently-agreed trade deal with the US.

The meeting will not be a formal bilateral with remarks to camera, but what is known in diplomatic circles as a “pull aside”.

This is larger than a “brush by”, which is a fleeting chat with short remarks.

A spokesman explained: “I think slightly longer and more formal. Hierarchy goes bilat-pull aside-brush by. Marginal differences between the final two. Just slightly longer and more organized than a brush by, which is just really a quick hello.”

They insisted it would not be akin to the humiliation inflicted on Gordon Brown by Barack Obama in 2009, when the White House rejected five requests for a bilateral and instead agreed to a 15-minute chat in a UN kitchen.

The seven leaders have just held their first group meeting on the global economy, with an opening statement by Canadian prime minister Mark Carney.

Georgia Meloni and Emmanuel Macron were spotted whispering to each other, covering their mouths while the talked in hushed tones to avoid being lip read.