G7 leaders agree on new Russian sanctions as Trump promises to 'do everything' to end Ukraine war

A new push for peace

The second day of the G7 summit in Evian, France, was dominated by the war in Ukraine, with leaders of the world’s seven largest advanced economies agreeing to step up pressure on Moscow. US President Donald Trump, fresh from a preliminary accord with Iran, told journalists he would now focus on ending the conflict, promising to “do everything” he could. The shift came after a morning of bilateral meetings and a working session on European security that included Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

“Russia should make a deal. Russia has lost a phenomenal number of people, as has Ukraine. Last month, 35,000 soldiers were lost between the two countries. This is happening month after month.”

“The only reason I’m getting involved is that I don’t like seeing 25,000 young men dying every month. Admit that this is ridiculous. So yes, I will do everything I can.”

Sanctions on the table

French diplomatic sources confirmed that the G7 agreed to increase pressure on Russia through new sanctions, specifically targeting gas and oil exports, the Kremlin’s main source of war financing. Trump indicated that the measures could be reimposed “soon,” now that oil is flowing again through the Strait of Hormuz following Sunday’s framework agreement with Iran. The temporary suspension of restrictions on Russian oil, introduced after the US-Israeli offensive against Iran in February, would be reversed.

“It’s fantastic that everyone understands that Russia will not win and that we must pressure Putin to end this war.”

The United Kingdom and Canada also announced new sanctions against the so-called “ghost fleet” used by Russia to transport oil and other goods.

A meeting months in the making

Zelensky arrived in Evian on Tuesday morning, received by French President Emmanuel Macron at the Hotel Royal on the shore of Lake Geneva. The two held a private 20-minute meeting before the Ukrainian leader joined the G7 working session. The last face-to-face between Trump and Zelensky was in late December at Mar-a-Lago, and Monday’s three-way talk with Macron, initially off the official schedule, took extra time to arrange.

During the session, Zelensky showed photographs of the destruction of the Pecherskaya Lavra monastery in Kyiv, a millennium-old Orthodox landmark, damaged by a Russian strike early Monday. The images appeared to affect Trump, who expressed displeasure at the attack.

European optimism and Trump’s recalibration

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz struck an optimistic tone, telling reporters that a “window for diplomacy could slowly begin to open” at this summit. He gifted Trump a German national team football shirt printed with “Trump 47,” a nod to his status as the 47th president. European leaders urged Trump to host a direct conversation between Putin and Zelensky, something the US president said he would consider.

Trump acknowledged that his attention had been consumed by the Iran file, but with a preliminary deal in place, he said he could now turn back to Ukraine. He confirmed a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday, describing little progress. Portugal’s foreign minister, Paulo Rangel, speaking in Lisbon, also called for increased European and American pressure on Moscow, calling the recent attack on the cathedral a “negative signal.”

Zelensky later posted on X that he had proposed a Putin-Zelensky meeting in the United States, a format that would be harder for the Kremlin to reject. The summit concludes Wednesday.