G7 leaders open Évian summit as Iran ceasefire deal reshapes agenda
US President Donald Trump arrives for a three-day G7 gathering after a late-hour Iran framework deal, while European leaders seek a role in Ukraine peace talks.
Iran deal reshapes summit dynamic
An 11th‑hour framework agreement to end the Iran war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz will dominate the three‑day G7 summit that opens today in Évian‑les‑Bains. Trump announced the deal roughly 20 hours before the start, and it is expected to be signed in Geneva two days after the summit closes. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called the breakthrough a chance for global economic recovery and regional stabilisation.
Now we must implement what has been agreed with determination.
European states are already preparing a military mission to secure the oil trade route; Merz offered minesweepers, a supply vessel and aerial reconnaissance in mid‑April.
Ukraine diplomacy: Europeans push for a seat
Fresh from launching a new peace initiative with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy over the weekend, the E3 – Emmanuel Macron, Keir Starmer and Merz – will press Trump for a European role at the negotiating table. Zelenskyy travels to Évian on Tuesday. The US has been the sole mediator but Trump’s focus on the Iran campaign sidelined the Ukraine file. Eastern EU members such as Poland are sceptical of the E3 speaking for the whole bloc.
- G7 summit opens in Évian‑les‑Bains, France
- Ukrainian President Zelenskyy arrives in Évian for talks
- Iran ceasefire framework agreement scheduled for signing in Geneva
Transatlantic rift and the troops question
Trump was angered by European reluctance to support the Iran war and has announced the withdrawal of 5 000 American soldiers from Germany. The Évian summit, along with Trump’s 80th birthday and Merz’s hand‑written congratulations, is seen as an opportunity to improve the transatlantic mood ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara in July.
The economic conversation: China and raw materials
China’s large trade surplus and Western dependence on Chinese raw materials for batteries, electric motors and solar cells will be central economic topics. The G7 will discuss how to reduce that dependency without triggering a new trade war.
No final communiqué
To avoid a repeat of Trump’s previous walk‑back of a joint statement, the French presidency has decided against a single concluding declaration. The agenda also includes artificial intelligence, irregular migration, protection of minors online, drug trafficking, Ebola and cancer. Swiss President Guy Parmelin is invited to the gala dinner, a first in G7 history.
