Summits are usually very formal, almost scripted events where leaders of the world’s biggest democracies meet to discuss all the issues their officials have already negotiated before. But on the odd occasion humanity breaks out from the robotic formal proceedings.
Such a moment came as Keir Starmer – a man normally famed for his aversion to the spontaneous – came out of an apparently agreeable bilateral meeting with the Italian PM Giorgia Meloni.
Across the hotel lobby he spotted German chancellor Friedrich Merz and the two immediately were drawn to one another and sat down to have a chinwag off the books. Soon Ms Meloni had joined them followed by the host Canadian PM Mark Carney and French President Emmanuel Macron.
After the initial water, glasses of wine arrived.
Highly unusually there were no notes, no officials present, just “five mates having a glass of wine and a chat.”
For all the criticism of him at home it was further proof that after 11 months in office Sir Keir is a highly respected international leader who draws others to him and has genuine friendships with many of his counterparts.
Not much is known about what they talked about but the Middle East crisis was certainly part of the conversation.
There was though more than a feeling that they were also having a pre-summit huddle to work out how they would deal with the awkward guest soon to arrive.
As they were chatting on Sunday evening, US president Donald Trump was landing in Alberta, Canada on Air Force 1.
The informal get together in the middle of a hotel lobby was very reflective of the sense that this is a G6 + 1 summit rather than a G7.
The rest all are in agreement on how to deal with Russia (more sanctions) and the Middle East crisis (please de-escalate the conflict Israel and Iran), but Trump is unlikely to sign up to any of these.
There will be a session on global free trade at a time when Trump is imposing global tariffs.
Roll on Monday morning and the divisions were plain to see from the offset.
Mr Carney is a man known for his diplomacy and tact wherever he has been. Including as a former governor of the Bank of England having to deal with Brexit.
But as Mr Carney welcomed Donald Trump to the first bilateral meeting at the summit he appeared to be summoning every ounce of his diplomatic experience.
As he stood for questions with Trump, he had the look of a host who has been given the unfortunate task of looking after an embarrassing uncle at a wedding who nobody can upset for fear of losing the inheritance.
Carney handled the situation masterfully though. After the questions ra,mbled on a bit he took control and stepped in saying he thought the president had answered enough.
It is fair to wonder whether behind his strained face Carney was thinking “don’t do a Justin Trudeau!”
Back in 2018 the then Canadian PM Mr Trudeau finally lost patience over Trump when he was hosting the G7 in Quebec, the last time Canada had the dubious honour. It caused the US President to go on a rant as he flew off to meet Kim Jong Un and demanding his officials unsign the joint communique.
This time everyone is playing down the idea of any sort of joint communique. There may be a G6 without the 1 communique instead.
But as five pals having a glass of wine reveals, outside the bombastic eccentricities of Trump, other allies are coming much closer together. Maybe because of Trump.
