Spent ‘long time’ with PM Modi at G7: Trump

Evian, June 17 (IANS) US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he spent considerable time with PM Modi on the sidelines of the G7 summit as world leaders discussed the Iran agreement, the war in Ukraine and broader security challenges facing the Middle East.

Speaking at a press conference after the summit, Trump said consultations with world leaders had played an important role in shaping discussions on the Iran agreement and the region’s future security architecture.

“PM Modi of India, we spent a long time together today,” Trump told reporters at a news conference here.

The US President said he had also spoken extensively with leaders from across the Middle East, including the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani; UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi; and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

“I spoke to Mohammed. I spoke to the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia a number of times,” Trump said. “They’re all so happy about this deal.”

Trump argued that the agreement with Iran had removed what he described as the greatest threat facing the region.

“Think of what Israel is getting, they’re not going to be nuked,” he said. “Very simple.”

The President said the diplomatic effort would not end with the Iran accord and pointed to a broader agenda that includes Lebanon and the possible expansion of the Abraham Accords.

“So the expansion of the Abraham Accords is the other thing that we hope we’re going to get,” Trump said.

The Abraham Accords, brokered during Trump’s first term, established diplomatic relations between Israel and several Arab nations, including the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

Trump acknowledged that tensions involving Hezbollah remained unresolved and would require further attention.

“The Lebanon peace is something we’ll have to work on a little bit,” he said. “The big deal is the Iran deal. That’s where the money is, where the power was. But they have Hezbollah, and we’ve got to get that done one way or the other.”

He suggested that regional actors could play a role in addressing the issue.

“Syria would love to do it,” Trump said, referring to Hezbollah. “Hezbollah is an enemy of his.”

The President also disclosed that Lebanon’s leadership would soon be visiting Washington.

“The president is going to be coming — prime minister, president is going to be coming over to see us very shortly, over the next week or two,” he said.

Beyond the Middle East, Trump said he used the summit to discuss the war in Ukraine with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

“We had a very good conversation with President Putin and a very, very good conversation with President Zelenskyy,” he said.

“I think they both want to do something. They just don’t know how to do it.”

Trump said leaders at the summit also discussed artificial intelligence, critical minerals, migration and transnational crime.

“We found a great deal of unity here at the G-7,” he said.

According to Trump, the group adopted a declaration addressing illegal immigration and agreed to strengthen cooperation against drug trafficking networks.

“We signed a declaration on illegal immigration, the first time ever for a G-7 statement,” he said.

The President also highlighted discussions on supply chains and economic cooperation, noting that leaders agreed to accelerate efforts to secure access to critical minerals and rare-earth resources.

–IANS

lkj/dan