'I'm the boss,' Trump says at G7, warming to Ukraine's war aims

US President Donald Trump declared "I'm the boss" to global leaders at the G7 summit, as the group unified in a pledge to support Ukraine and impose fresh sanctions on Russia. The summit, held in Evian-les-Bains, France, concluded with a joint leaders' statement that could significantly bolster Kyiv's position in potential peace talks with Moscow.

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I'm the boss

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his allies sought to convince Trump that Ukraine's counteroffensive was yielding results, arguing Russia was not in a position to dictate peace terms. Trump's apparent shift in approach, after years of skepticism, was noted by European leaders. French President Emmanuel Macron described it as a "real change in approach" from the United States, calling the summit a "success." This contrasts sharply with the previous year's G7 summit in Canada, which ended without a joint stance on Ukraine.

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This showed a "real change in approach" from the United States regarding the Ukraine war

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni observed that leaders "found common ground (with Trump) and that can't always be taken for granted." Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney praised "a change in position on the part of the United States and President Trump." Leaders appeared relieved that Trump remained for the entire summit this year, unlike the previous year when he left early due to the situation in the Middle East. His presence and agreement on joint statements concerning Ukraine, AI, and critical minerals were seen as positive outcomes.

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leaders "found common ground (with Trump) and that can't always be taken for granted"

However, the effectiveness of strong-arming Moscow into peace talks still hinges on Trump's commitments, which have historically been elusive. The G7 leaders also welcomed a preliminary peace deal between the United States and Iran, expressing readiness to help implement it. Yet, they left without a commitment from Trump on the specifics of their potential role. European allies expressed concerns that an inexperienced US negotiating team might not secure a robust nuclear agreement or address Iran’s ballistic missile program, potentially leading to a prolonged standoff. Trump himself stressed that the memorandum of understanding with Iran was not final and that he could resume military action if it was not honored.

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a change in position on the part of the United States and President Trump