G7 Leaders Open Summit Talks on Ukraine and the Middle East as Zelenskyy Joins in France

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy joined world leaders at the Group of Seven summit in France on Tuesday for discussions aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, now in its fifth year following Russia's full-scale invasion. French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed Zelenskyy ahead of a working session dedicated to the conflict.

The summit's focus on Ukraine follows recent developments, including US President Donald Trump's announcement of an agreement to end the conflict with Iran. Trump indicated he had spoken with both Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin, stating that Ukraine would be the next priority after the Iran issue was resolved. While five of the seven G7 leaders were seen in conversation before the Ukraine session, Trump and Macron were not initially present as Macron was meeting with Zelenskyy.

Recent weeks have seen the conflict in Iran overshadowing the war in Ukraine. Macron expressed his intention to persuade Trump to maintain support for Ukraine and intensify pressure on Russia to facilitate a peace agreement. This comes as Russia launched a significant barrage of hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles at major Ukrainian cities hours before the summit began, resulting in 11 deaths and damage to a religious site.

Trump has reportedly expressed frustration with the lack of progress toward a resolution in Ukraine. Despite his earlier claim of being able to end the war within 24 hours of taking office, he has since acknowledged the complexity of the situation. Ukraine officially commenced its European Union membership negotiations on Monday, initiating a process that will require extensive political reforms amid the ongoing conflict. While Ukraine views EU membership as a crucial security guarantee, its potential NATO membership remains a point of contention, with the Trump administration opposing it and other nations hesitant due to the ongoing war.

Tuesday's agenda also included a working session on "ending crises and ensuring stability in the Middle East," with leaders from Egypt, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates invited to participate. Tensions have been evident between Trump and European leaders, including Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, over various issues in recent months.

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Now that this (Iran) is finished, we’re going to be focusing on that.