G7 opens under lockdown in Evian as Meloni tests Trump ties and leaders face Ukraine-Middle East crisis

Security lockdown and early protests

Evian-les-Bains is sealed off, with checkpoints on roads from Geneva and gendarmerie in G7-branded uniforms patrolling streets deserted of residents. Across the border in Geneva, anti-summit protesters clashed with police near the United Nations headquarters on Sunday, throwing bottles, stones and firecrackers, while shopkeepers boarded up windows. The resort town itself is a fortress ahead of the three-day gathering hosted by French president Emmanuel Macron at the legendary Hotel Royal.

Summit schedule and key topics

Leaders arrive late Monday afternoon for bilateral meetings, beginning with a Macron-Trump encounter, followed by an official welcome and a working dinner labelled “Tackling the major international challenges together.” Tuesday morning will be devoted to Ukraine peace and security, with Volodymyr Zelensky joining the table. A midday lunch with Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar will address Middle East stability, and in the afternoon the group expands to include Brazil, India, South Korea and Kenya for a session on new international partnerships with the World Bank and the African Development Bank. The day ends with a gala dinner hosted by Macron and first lady Brigitte.

On Wednesday the focus shifts to the economy: a session on balanced, inclusive and sustainable growth with the IMF and OECD will be followed by a working lunch on artificial intelligence featuring Sam Altman, Dario Amodei and Arthur Mensch, with a specific focus on protecting minors in the digital sphere. Macron’s final press conference is scheduled for 15:00.

Meloni’s delicate dance with Trump

For Giorgia Meloni, the summit is a chance to re-establish direct contact with Donald Trump after weeks of silence and recent US attacks. No formal bilateral is on the calendar, but Italian officials say the premier will find opportunities to talk “with everyone.” Meloni is expected to stick to her twin pillars: “Western unity” and the defence of national interests, as she often repeats. Sources add she will state her views “clearly and directly” when needed.

Western unity remains fundamental, but that does not mean I won’t say what I think, clearly and directly, always to defend national interests.

Ukraine and Middle East crises

The most sensitive dossier is the still-unresolved US-Iran protocol that could reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Leaders will discuss what posture to adopt toward Ukraine and the role of the G7 in guaranteeing Hormuz security. Meloni is expected to revive the proposal for a European mediator for Kiev, arguing that the EU must speak “with a single voice” on Ukraine, not through multiple competing formats.

A broader push for partnerships and AI governance

Macron has deliberately widened the table to include emerging economies, hoping to give the forum more representativeness. The French presidency also wants a new impetus for relations with Beijing, while prioritising the fight against drug trafficking and online child protection. The AI session with top executives is designed to shape safe and fast deployment rules.

Declining influence of a once-dominant club

The gathering marks 51 years since the first summit at Rambouillet, but observers describe the current version as a pale simulacrum of past G7s, with the group’s share of world wealth far below the two-thirds it claimed in 1975 and its geopolitical weight undercut by the rise of China and the Global South.