G7 leaders open summit talks on Ukraine and the Middle East as Zelenskyy joins in France 

Emmanuel Macron, President of France, left, greets U.S. President Donald Trump during the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, Monday [AP Photo]

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy joined world leaders at the Group of Seven summit of major industrialized nations yesterday for talks on ending the war in Ukraine after more than four years of conflict sparked by Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Zelenskyy was welcomed by French President Emmanuel Macron ahead of a morning working session with G7 leaders to discuss the war.

The Ukraine talks come on the heels of U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement of an agreement to end the 3 1/2-month-old U.S. war against Iran. Trump said he had good conversations on Sunday with both Zelenskyy and Putin.

“Now that this (Iran) is finished, we’re going to be focusing on that,” he said at the G7 summit.

Five of the seven leaders, representing Britain, Canada, Germany, Italy and Japan, were huddled in conversation with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen before the start of the first session on Ukraine. Trump was missing. Macron, too, hadn’t arrived yet because he was with Zelenskyy.

Meanwhile, Britain announced a new set of sanctions targeting the “shadow fleet” Russia uses to ship oil and gas and the finance networks used by Moscow to evade Western sanctions. The sanctioned ships include several vessels recently purchased by Russia to ship liquefied natural gas from its sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 project. Last weekend, U.K. troops seized a Russian shadow fleet vessel in the English Channel for the first time.

In recent weeks, the Iran conflict has overshadowed the war in Ukraine that Russian President Vladimir Putin launched. Macron said he’ll seek to persuade Trump to continue supporting Ukraine and increase pressure on Russia to help reach a peace agreement.

Hours before the start of the G7 summit, Russia fired hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles at Ukraine’s biggest cities in a barrage that killed 11 people and set fire to a religious landmark.

Trump has been frustrated by a lack of movement toward Ukraine-Russia resolution

The attacks on Ukraine’s biggest cities came after Zelenskyy and Putin spoke separately by phone with Trump on Sunday, the U.S. leader’s 80th birthday. The exchange suggests Washington hasn’t given up on its diplomatic efforts to stop the fighting that followed Moscow’s all-out invasion of its neighbor in 2022.

While campaigning for a return to the White House, Trump claimed he could end the Russia-Ukraine war within 24 hours of taking office. He has since acknowledged it has proved much harder than he initially thought it would be.

Ukraine on Monday officially started European Union membership negotiations, launching a process that will require its government to commit to years of political reforms even as it fights a Russian invasion.

Ukraine sees EU membership as a security guarantee for a stable future once the war ends. Its best guarantee would be membership in the NATO military alliance, but the Trump administration insists that cannot happen, and others are wary of it joining while the war continues.

Iran war has been a flashpoint between Trump and European leaders

Tuesday’s discussions also include a work session focused on “ending crises and ensuring stability in the Middle East.” Leaders of Egypt, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates are to join the talks.

In recent months, Trump has had sharp disagreements with Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni over his failure to consult them before the decision to go to war in Iran. Trump has threatened reprisals, including drawing down U.S. troops in all four countries, all members of the NATO military alliance, for their lack of support.

Despite those disagreements, the tone in Evian should be rather measured, as U.S. allies seek rapid progress that could ease the economic impact of rising oil prices caused by the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

“I think a lot of great things are going to happen in the Middle East right now, and very importantly the oil is plummeting down and the stock market is shooting up like a rocket today,” Trump said.

Ahead of their meeting at the G7, the leaders of France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement congratulating the United States, the Iranian government and the mediators on what they called a “diplomatic breakthrough.” Canada also signed the statement. The leaders said it was vital for detailed negotiations to take place and for the deal to be quickly implemented so the Strait of Hormuz can be reopened to tanker traffic.

Macron later said France and other Western partners are “ready to take action very quickly” to help reopen the strait peacefully. France and Britain have championed a mission to restore maritime security in the strait as soon as conditions allow.

Trump, however, appeared to downplay the need for a large international military deployment. “I don’t think we’re gonna need much help,” he said during his meeting with Macron. “But I don’t think it’s a bad idea to have a ship or two up here from a few countries. You’d be a great country to do it.”

What’s next on the agenda

Trump will participate in meetings that include sit-downs with the emir of Qatar and the president of the UAE before attending a cultural performance and a dinner with the other G7 leaders.

The G7 comprises France, the United States, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom. Other guest nations at this summit, including Brazil, India, Kenya and South Korea, were invited to participate in some discussions. SYLVIE CORBET, DARLENE SUPERVILLE & AAMER MAHDANI, EVIAN-LES-BAINS, MDT/AP