German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, US President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi attend a working session at the G7 Summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, on June 16, 2026. Photo: Reuters.
The positive atmosphere at this conference stands in stark contrast to the meeting between President Trump and President Zelensky at the White House last year, when the Ukrainian leader was perceived to have little leverage in potential peace talks with Russia.
At the G7 summit in the resort city of Evian-les-Bains on Lake Geneva, President Zelensky and his European allies sought to convince President Trump that Ukraine's position on the battlefield had improved thanks to drone strikes deep inside Russian territory.
President Trump, who arrived at the conference after announcing a preliminary agreement regarding the crisis with Iran, said he would do everything he could to end the conflict in Ukraine, but offered no details on specific measures to increase pressure on Moscow.
US President Donald Trump enters a cultural performance and concert as part of the G7 Summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, on June 16, 2026. Photo: Reuters.
President Trump told reporters: “Russia should reach an agreement. Too many young men are dying on the battlefield on both sides. I will do whatever I can.”
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz assessed President Trump's remarks as a positive sign. He said the US President had shown a spirit of cooperation and listened very attentively during the discussions, thereby creating more hope that Europe and the US could work together to end the war. Merz also presented President Trump with a symbolic gift, seen as an effort by G7 allies to demonstrate solidarity, despite the increasingly evident rifts in transatlantic relations.
Following his meeting with President Trump, President Zelensky stated that G7 leaders agreed that Russia currently does not have the upper hand in the conflict. He added that they also discussed the possibility of imposing further sanctions targeting Russia's oil exports, banking sector, and military production capabilities to encourage Moscow to engage in negotiations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky prepares for a commemorative photo with other leaders before a cultural performance and concert as part of the G7 Summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, on June 16, 2026. Photo: Reuters.
The Ukrainian president said that working groups from both countries would continue to meet within the next 24 hours and expressed hope for another private meeting with President Trump.
European diplomats assessed the meeting as taking place in a constructive atmosphere. However, they noted that President Trump had not yet committed to supporting new US sanctions against Russia as desired by European allies. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that the situation was shifting in Ukraine's favor, and that this was the time to increase support for Kyiv.
Thanh Hang
Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/g7-lac-quan-ve-hoa-binh-ukraine-291359.htm
