G7 Summit: War in the Middle East and Ukraine likely to dominate meeting

Wars in the Middle East and Ukraine are expected to dominate next week's G7 summit as host country France crafts an agenda aimed at projecting unity among nations and avoiding clashes with US President Donald Trump.

The meeting from June 15th to 17th in the city of Évian-les-Bains, on the shores of Lake Geneva, brings together leaders from France, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States, together with the European Union.

With Trump struggling to end a war that has destabilized the global economy and frustrated with European allies who he believes have let him down in the Gulf and become overly dependent on the U.S. for security needs, diplomats say crisis management will be the focus.

As such, innovative decisions are not expected on key issues, which also include combating global economic imbalances and sourcing critical minerals outside of China.

The group, founded half a century ago, has traditionally approached economic and geopolitical challenges with broad consensus. But that cohesion has frayed since Trump returned to the White House in 2025.

Because the date of the summit was changed to accommodate the American president's birthday plans, French officials, as well as other hosts, have set modest goals, suggesting it will be a success if he simply stays through the entire event.

In the 2025 edition, in Canada, Trump left the meeting early.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and US President Donald Trump at the G7 Summit - Getty Images
Sylvie Matelly, director of the Jacques Delors Institute, said European leaders have learned to deal with Trump's unpredictability, but the situation in Iran and the possibility of him reaching a ceasefire agreement may well dictate their mood.

The fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran is under strain, and securing even an interim agreement that delays resolution of more complex issues, such as Iran's nuclear program, is proving difficult.

Trump wants Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran demands that the US end the blockade of Iranian ports and release frozen Iranian assets, and that Israel cease its attack on Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.

A senior diplomat from a G7 member country said a ceasefire agreement with Iran could allow the group to put months of tension with the United States behind it.

France invited Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, all directly affected by the war, to the summit, along with Egypt, a key player in the mediation efforts.

"It is very important, and it is precisely about finding ways and means of cooperation", said Emmanuel Macron, President of France.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was also invited.

Although negotiations to end Russia's war in Ukraine have stalled, Zelensky wants new momentum and is pushing for Europe to play a bigger role.

Zelensky fears that the conflict in Iran has diverted US attention. Meanwhile, dynamics on the battlefield have changed, with Ukrainian drones striking deeper into Russian territory to cut supply lines and disrupt energy infrastructure.

European diplomats see the summit as an opportunity to convince Trump that American proposals for a deal have been too favorable to Moscow.

European nations also want to signal that they are willing to talk to Moscow while tightening sanctions and increasing military support for Ukraine, emphasizing that they believe Russia, not Kiev, is blocking progress.

"I believe our duty is not to give in when it comes to our deepest convictions, to defend them," Macron said.

Paris has used its presidency to push for action on global macroeconomic imbalances, a long-standing US concern, before Washington assumes the presidency of the G20 this year and the G7 next.

France framed the issue as a shared responsibility, given that China produces too much, the United States consumes too much and Europe invests too little.

Brazil, India, Kenya and South Korea were invited to the G7 to participate in the discussion, while Macron urged China to boost its own consumption.

Source: CNN