Commentary: The G7 was a great idea – until it became one against six

At the initiative of the West German and French leaders, the six leading industrialised democracies convened their first regular meeting to manage a troubled world – problems included the collapse of the Bretton Woods system, the oil shocks and stagflation. The world is on fire from Eastern Europe to the Middle East and beyond, and the G7 leaders are at odds over how to analyse, let alone solve, any of these conflicts. US President Donald Trump may not have wanted Israel to attack Iran while his own envoy was trying to negotiate a deal with Tehran, but now that the war is underway he seems fine with Israel finishing the job.