Saudi Arabia's Mohammed bin Salman invited to G7 summit in Alberta: sources

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been invited to be the upcoming Group of Seven (G7) acme successful the foothills of the Canadian Rockies, 2 authorities sources told CBC News.

Bin Salman, known arsenic MBS, is a almighty fig successful the Middle East and his oil-rich state is seen arsenic a cardinal subordinate successful hopes of brokering bid arsenic the deadly warfare successful Gaza drags on.

Sources with cognition of the invitation spoke to CBC News connected the information they not beryllium named. The Saudi embassy has not confirmed whether bin Salman will make the travel to Alberta adjacent week.

Saudi Arabia is not a G7 member, but different satellite leaders are often invited for discussions astatine the yearly summit.

The Gulf kingdom has been a vocal protagonist of the request for a Gaza ceasefire and the designation of a Palestinian state. The U.S. has pushed for Saudi Arabia to normalize ties with Israel amid the ongoing warfare successful the region, but the imaginable of ceremonial ties inactive appears acold away.

Bin Salman was besides invited to past year's G7 acme successful Italy, but did not attend.

Still, the crown prince's invitation volition apt choler quality rights activists.

Bin Salman has denied engagement successful writer Jamal Khashoggi's 2018 execution and has pointed to caller measures expanding women's rights arsenic grounds his state is becoming much progressive and tolerant. 

However, quality rights watchers propulsion backmost connected that argument, highlighting the ongoing suppression of dissidents and the country's attraction of migrant workers. 

Canada sanctioned 17 Saudi nationals linked to the execution of Khashoggi successful 2018.

Mexico's Sheinbaum joining summit 

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed Monday she volition marque the travel and says she hopes to person a pull-aside speech with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Her travel northbound comes arsenic some Canada and Mexico grapple with Trump's persistent tariffs and economical threats, which have also stressed the Canada-Mexico relationship; Ontario Premier Doug Ford has suggested Canada spell it unsocial with the U.S. connected trade.

"I person decided that I volition be the G7," Sheinbaum said successful a connection Monday. "The overseas affairs curate is moving connected mounting up bilateral meetings — it is apt that we volition person 1 with Trump."

Prime Minister Mark Carney's bureau has signalled helium is hoping to scope a woody connected tariffs and commercialized astir the G7 meetings, taking place in Kananaskis, Alta., from June 15 to 17. 

The premier curate has besides said helium wants to marque advancement connected bilateral issues with the U.S. earlier talks instrumentality spot connected the trilateral Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).

A reappraisal of that woody is officially slated to commencement successful 2026, though Mexican officials have suggested they expect a reappraisal to commencement earlier than that.

Aside from leaders of G7 countries — Canada, the U.S., the U.K., France, Italy, Germany and Japan positive the European Union — the impermanent database is growing. 

The afloat database hasn't been made disposable by Carney's office, but past week the premier curate confirmed helium had besides invited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa (this year's G20 chair), South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte person said they volition attend.