G7 Leaders Meet Zelensky Amid Trump's Potential Ukraine Breakthrough

At the 2026 G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains, France, world leaders gathered for a pivotal working session with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as US President Donald Trump signaled a potential shift in focus toward ending Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. After months dominated by the Iran conflict, Trump announced a desire to bring the Ukraine war "back into focus," stating that Iran would soon be "in the rearview mirror." This marked a notable change in tone from the US administration, which had previously cut back aid to Kyiv and prioritized other geopolitical crises.

The short, 75-minute working session yielded a unified stance among G7 nations, including the US, France, the UK, Germany, Italy, Canada, and Japan. According to a French diplomat familiar with the talks, leaders agreed to intensify pressure on Russia through sanctions targeting its oil and natural gas sectors. Additionally, the group committed to supplying Ukraine with more air defense systems and other protective military capabilities. As the US under Trump has reduced its direct military support for Ukraine, European allies—led by France and the UK—have become the primary providers of financial and military aid to Kyiv.

In a parallel move, the United Kingdom announced a new set of sanctions targeting Russia's "shadow fleet" of vessels used to transport oil and gas, as well as financial networks that enable Moscow to evade existing Western sanctions. The sanctions specifically hit ships recently acquired by Russia to export liquefied natural gas from its Arctic LNG 2 project, a key energy venture that has been under international scrutiny.

Hours before the summit began, Russia launched a massive aerial assault involving hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles against Ukraine's largest cities, killing at least 11 people and igniting a fire at a religious landmark. This barrage came shortly after Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin held separate phone conversations with Trump on his 80th birthday, underscoring the persistent, high-level diplomatic engagement amid the ongoing conflict.

Despite Trump's earlier campaign promise to end the war within 24 hours of returning to office, negotiations have proven more complex. Trump himself acknowledged that ending the conflict has been "much harder" than he initially anticipated. Meanwhile, Ukraine officially began European Union membership negotiations on Monday, a process that Kyiv sees as a key security guarantee for its stable future, even as it continues to fight the Russian invasion. NATO membership remains the ultimate goal for Ukraine, but the Trump administration has insisted that cannot happen for now, with other allies also wary of bringing Kyiv into the alliance while the war continues.

The G7 summit also addressed the broader Middle East, with Trump holding bilateral talks with leaders from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Trump expressed frustration with Israel's ongoing operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon, saying, "They should have been able to deal with them faster." He added that Israel's prolonged campaign "throws a negative light on the big deal" with Iran. The summit's agenda included a working lunch to discuss the path ahead after the US-Iran ceasefire agreement, with France and the UK championing a mission to restore maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz as soon as conditions allow.

In the French spa town near the Swiss border, Trump downplayed the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on the US but lamented the high death toll. "The whole thing is ridiculous," Trump said. "So, yeah, I'm going to do whatever I can." The summit concluded with a renewed commitment among G7 leaders to support Ukraine and apply coordinated pressure on Russia, though the path to a diplomatic breakthrough remains uncertain.

For further details, refer to the original report from France 24.