Trump meeting cancellation 'always a chance': treasurer

The cancellation of Anthony Albanese's one-on-one meeting with Donald Trump is not surprising given the Middle Eastern instability, the treasurer says.

The prime minister was set to meet with the US president on the sidelines of the G7 leaders summit in Canada, but Mr Trump is leaving early due to the conflict between Iran and Israel.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers said Australia would continue to push for a meeting with the president.

"When you see the perilous moment in the Middle East and what it means for the world, it's not especially surprising. It's understandable that President Trump has left the meeting early," Dr Chalmers told Sky News on Tuesday.

"This was always a chance of happening, given what's happening around the world and particularly in the Middle East.

"Prime Minister Albanese has had three conversations with President Trump in recent months. We'll continue to engage in the usual way."

Tariffs on Australian exports into the US as well as the AUKUS submarine deal were set to be on the agenda of the face-to-face discussions.

It would have been the first time the two leaders would speak in person.

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said the president leaving the summit was reasonable due to the international situation, but was to the detriment of Australia.

"This was an important opportunity for the prime minister to seek assurances on AUKUS and protect Australia from tariffs," she said.

"Given global volatility and the growing list of issues in our relationship with the United States, this underscores that the Albanese government should not have merely relied on meeting with the president on the sidelines of international summits."

But Ms Ley said the coalition would work with the government to improve the relationship with the United States.

"The prime minister should have been more proactive in seeking to strengthen this relationship, Australia's most important, and we encourage him to change his approach to advance our national interest," she said.

Opposition trade spokesman Kevin Hogan said the government needed to clarify what its approach was to dealing with the Trump administration.

"We expect the prime minister to advocate forcefully for Australian interests - resolving tariff issues, securing our trade future, and advancing AUKUS co-operation in a way that supports jobs and strengthens our national security," he said.

"The prime minister must provide assurances on what his plan is now to ensure he gets a face-to-face meeting with President Trump."