Trump to discuss Iran, Ukraine with G7 leaders at summit
What’s on the agenda?
The leaders are expected to discuss wars in Ukraine and Iran, global economic imbalances that threaten financial stability, and the irrepressible rise of AI.
The other G7 leaders will want Trump to reveal details of the U.S.-Iran accord and in particular how quickly the vital Strait of Hormuz can be reopened to shipping traffic.
European members want to persuade Trump that Ukraine’s position has strengthened and agree on how to approach meaningful negotiations with Putin.
The lakeside host town is the home of Evian water
Macron picked the lakeside town of Evian-les-Bains, nestled at the foot of the Alps on Lake Geneva, to host this year’s summit.
Evian-les-Bains is a spa town in eastern France’s Haute-Savoie region, directly across from Switzerland, and with a population of just under 10,000.
It has long drawn visitors for its thermal springs, lakeside setting, and Belle Epoque architecture.
Evian-les-Bains is perhaps best known for the eponymous mineral water brand.
Sourced from springs originating as rainwater and snowmelt filtered through glacial moraine and alpine rock layers, the mineral water was first stumbled upon by a French nobleman in 1789. Commercial bottling began in 1826.
For Trump, a keen golfer, the area around Evian-les-Bains also offers world-class courses. The Evian Resort Golf Club course dates back to 1904.
What to know about the G7
The Groupf of Seven, or G7, is an informal grouping of wealthy nations. It has no permanent secretariat or legal status.
Its members are the U.S., Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan. The European Union attends all summits but does not count as one of the core “7” and does not hold the rotating presidency, as it is not a single nation but a bloc of 27.
Russia was included in what became the G8 in 1997, but it was later suspended in 2014 after annexing Crimea from Ukraine.
France took over the presidency from Canada in 2026.
The G7 was founded following the 1973 OPEC oil embargo as a forum for the richest nations to discuss crises affecting the world economy.
Its member states have a combined annual GDP of more than $50 trillion – just under half the world economy.
G7 leaders to consult with Trump at summit
European leaders will warn U.S. President Donald Trump at Tuesday’s G7 summit that a superficial interim Iran deal risks entrenching Tehran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
They will also press him to rethink his strategy on ending the Ukraine war.
The gathering in the French town of Evian-les-Bains brings together the leaders of France, Britain, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States, alongside the European Union.
Trump arrived on Monday evening buoyed after Washington and Tehran agreed on a preliminary deal to end the wider conflict, with a formal signing targeted for Friday.
French President Emmanuel Macron said the priority was to ensure there is a “solid, serious agreement that is finalized.”
He said a Tuesday lunch session would focus on the safe reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, including a possible Franco-British-led maritime mission and identifying alternative energy routes bypassing the waterway. Trump said the strait would be “completely open” on Friday.
Thomson Reuters
