G7 Allies Seek Common Ground With Trump After Iran Deal
President Donald Trump arrived at the G7 summit in France hours after the U.S. and Iran finalized a deal to end the Middle East war, with allies seeking details on the accord and Strait of Hormuz reopening.
The gathering of leading industrial powers in the French lakeside resort of Evian-les-Bains will address the wars in Ukraine and Iran, global economic imbalances threatening financial stability, and the rise of artificial intelligence, according to Brussels Signal.
Emmanuel Macron, the French president hosting the summit, confirmed that discussions will focus on the consequences of the Iran accord, which is scheduled to be signed in Switzerland on Friday. In an Instagram video posted overnight, Macron outlined concerns about Lebanon, the lasting reopening of Hormuz, and Iran’s ballistic missile activities.
The French leader later announced on X that a UK-France mission to facilitate the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz has its assets in place and ready for deployment.
European leaders are particularly impatient to see the Strait reopened after restrictions on shipping traffic during the war triggered a spike in global energy prices.
Ukraine Crisis Takes Center Stage
The war in Ukraine will feature prominently on the agenda, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky scheduled to attend from June 16. His arrival follows a deadly Russian barrage on Ukraine that ignited a fire at a historic cathedral in Kyiv.
Zelensky has called for G7 leaders to increase pressure on Moscow after the latest wave of Russian strikes killed at least 11 people. He stressed the importance of a response from the G7 countries.
European leaders and Canada are expected to remind Trump of the necessity of pushing Russia to accept a peace settlement on Ukraine’s terms, more than four years after the invasion began.
Expanded Guest List Reflects Broader Concerns
France has moved to expand the reach of the G7 beyond its core membership of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Arab leaders including Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the emir of Qatar, and the president of the UAE will participate in discussions on Iran. The leaders of Brazil, Egypt, India, Kenya and South Korea are also attending.
Beyond politics, artificial intelligence executives including Sam Altman of OpenAI, Dario Amodei of Anthropic, and Arthur Mensch of European rival Mistral AI will attend a lunch on June 17 focused on protecting minors in the digital sphere.
Trump Extends French Visit
Trump arrived at the Lake Geneva resort fresh from celebrating his 80th birthday the previous day, as Brussels Signal reports. His G7 schedule begins with talks with Macron this afternoon followed by a working dinner with all participants.
In an unusual move, Trump will extend his stay in France to dine with Macron at the Palace of Versailles outside Paris on Wednesday after the G7 concludes.
Macron said in his Instagram video that the aim is to secure new agreements and convergences between the G7 countries and their partners to find common solutions, reduce global tensions, and improve economic conditions.
Massive Security Operation
A vast security lockdown mobilizing thousands of police and troops has been implemented, extending into neighboring Switzerland on the other side of the lake.
On Saturday, police and protesters clashed in the Swiss city of Geneva. Demonstrators threw bottles, stones, pieces of cement and firecrackers at police near United Nations headquarters, prompting authorities to respond with tear gas and water cannons.
With information from Brussels Signal
