Editor's note: This is a breaking story and is being updated.

U.S. President Donald Trump departed the G7 Leaders' Summit late on June 16, ahead of an anticipated high-stakes meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky on June 17.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the departure comes as Trump is set to attend to "important matters."

"Because of what’s going on in the Middle East, President Trump will be leaving tonight after dinner with Heads of State," Leavitt wrote on X.

"I have to be back as soon as I can... because of what's going on in the Middle East" Trump told reporters.

"I have to be back early for obvious reasons," Trump said, without further elaborating.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump warned ahead of the departure that "Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!"

It was not immediately clear as to whether Trump will return for the final day of the summit on June 17.

Zelensky is expected to participate in previously planned G7 events as scheduled.

Zelensky was expected to meet with Trump on the sidelines of the G7 summit on June 17, marking their third in-person meeting since the American president took office in January. The proposed meeting was set to serve as an inflection point for Zelensky as pressure mounts on Trump from Western allies.

"Both teams are working to ensure we meet," Zelensky said on June 14 during a closed-door briefing attended by the Kyiv Independent.

High stakes, low resolve: What Ukraine can expect from the upcoming G7 summit

As world leaders prepare to gather in the remote community of Kananaskis in Alberta, Canada for the Group of Seven (G7) Leaders’ Summit on June 15-17, Russia’s war in Ukraine once again holds center stage — but views on how to address the three-year conflict diverge sharply. In the five months

The Kyiv IndependentDmytro Basmat

U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Canada for the Group of Seven (G7) Leaders' Summit late on June 15, according to a Kyiv Independent journalist on the ground.

Trump's arrival comes ahead of his expected high-stakes meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky on June 17 in Kananaskis, Alberta.

Canada, which holds the G7 presidency in 2025, invited Zelensky to participate in the 3-day summit, which will mark Zelensky's fourth G7 Leaders' Summit since the outbreak of the full-scale invasion in 2022.

After a disastrous first in-person meeting between the two leaders in the Oval Office in February — during which Trump and Vice President JD Vance lambasted Zelensky over what they described as "a lack of gratitude for U.S. support" — a second meeting in the Vatican led to Trump reiterating calls for a Russian ceasefire and even threatening to impose sanctions on Russia.

In the month since their last in-person meeting, tensions between Trump and Zelensky have risen again. Despite issuing several threats, Trump has not followed through on implementing additional economic pressure on Moscow.

Zelensky said in a closed-door meeting attended by the Kyiv Independent on June 13 that his priority is to speak with Trump about sanctions against Russia, peace talks, weapons purchases, and U.S.-Ukraine economic cooperation.

The anticipated third meeting could signal the future of Trump and Zelensky's relationship, as well as offer insight into the United States' commitment to supporting Ukraine.

Amid increased anxiety around Trump's commitment to ending the war, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently announced that the Pentagon will reduce funding allocated for military assistance to Ukraine in its 2026 defense budget.

On June 12, Zelensky decried Washington's lack of urgency around sanctions, suggesting that Russia is "lying to Trump." He said that Russian President Vladimir Putin's strategy is to maintain the illusion of dialogue without ever committing to a ceasefire.

"There are steps forward we can take — but we need the political will of the U.S. president, if he wants," Zelensky said on June 13.

High stakes, low resolve: What Ukraine can expect from the upcoming G7 summit

As world leaders prepare to gather in the remote community of Kananaskis in Alberta, Canada for the Group of Seven (G7) Leaders’ Summit on June 15-17, Russia’s war in Ukraine once again holds center stage — but views on how to address the three-year conflict diverge sharply. In the five months

The Kyiv IndependentDmytro Basmat