The three-day G7 summit begins today in France
Leaders of the G7 nations are set to begin their summit in Evian, France, shortly after the United States and Iran announced they had reached a preliminary agreement to end the war, according to The Guardian and Reuters.
The summit will run from 15 to 17 June. One of the main topics of discussion will be the next steps following the US-Iran agreements. Participants will also discuss the war in Ukraine, global economic imbalances and the supply of critical minerals from outside China.
US President Donald Trump will arrive in Evian at a time when a number of world leaders are expressing concern over Washington’s foreign policy moves. At the same time, the French side welcomes the fact that the US president will attend this year’s summit, having left last year’s meeting in Canada early.
On the sidelines of the summit, Trump is set to hold meetings with leaders from the Middle East, as well as take part in a working session with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. It is scheduled for Tuesday.
The meeting will take place against the backdrop of a slowdown in Russian advances on the front line and Ukraine’s calls to its allies for additional military support. According to US officials, Russian gains on the battlefield have effectively stalled in recent times.
Summit participants will pay particular attention to the details of the agreements between the US and Iran. The signing of a memorandum of understanding is scheduled for Friday in Switzerland, though the specific terms have not yet been made public.
Donald Trump stated that the Strait of Hormuz, which is one of the key routes for the transport of oil and gas, should reopen as early as Friday. He also announced the lifting of the US blockade of Iranian ports.
The Secretariat of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council stated that the war and military operations on all fronts, particularly in Lebanon, are to cease completely from Monday evening.
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said that during the 60-day ceasefire, the parties plan to agree on a broader deal that will include the issue of sanctions. According to sources, the issue of Iran’s nuclear programme will also form part of further negotiations.
Representatives from the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Egypt, who have been involved in mediation efforts regarding the conflict, have been invited to attend the summit.
For French President Emmanuel Macron, the current summit is one of the key international events of his second presidential term, which ends next year. The French leader has sought to shape the agenda in such a way as to ensure Donald Trump’s full participation throughout the three-day meeting.
According to British media reports, the start of the summit was even adjusted so that the US president could celebrate his 80th birthday at a UFC event at the White House. A dinner at Versailles is also scheduled for Wednesday.
One of the central themes of the summit will be global economic imbalances. France proposes treating the issue as a shared responsibility, pointing to overproduction in China, excessive consumption in the US and insufficient investment in Europe.
Representatives from Brazil, India, Kenya and South Korea have also been invited to the discussion. Emmanuel Macron has called on China to stimulate domestic consumption.
The French side also plans to raise the issues of artificial intelligence, the supply of critical minerals, the consequences of geopolitical conflicts and the reform of international development cooperation.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Mistral AI founder Arthur Mensch are expected to join the events on Wednesday.
The topic of climate change, which has traditionally been on the agenda of G7 summits, is not included in this year’s official programme.
