US4 min(s) read
Published 16:27 16 Jun 2026 GMT
President Donald Trump received a frosty reception at the G7 summit, while several other world leaders received a noticeably warmer welcome.
The first full day of the three-day summit got underway on Tuesday (June 16) in Evian-les-Bains, France, where world leaders gathered to discuss some of the biggest geopolitical crises, including the wars in Ukraine and Iran.
Footage from the event showed the 80-year-old US president walking ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as the trio entered a working session.
After reaching a large table positioned in the center of the meeting room, Trump briefly stood alone while looking around the room before Macron and Zelensky joined him moments later.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen then approached the group to greet them.
She first shook hands with Trump and exchanged a few words with him before quickly moving on.
Von der Leyen then greeted the French leader immediately afterwards by smiling, opening her arms, and exchanging kisses on both cheeks.
Images from the summit also showed von der Leyen greeting Zelensky and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney with warm embraces and kisses.
The G7 consists of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Although Ukraine is not a G7 member, Zelensky was invited to attend by the host nation, France.
Other countries, including Brazil, India, Kenya, and South Korea, are also participating in selected discussions as partner nations.
One of the key topics on the agenda is Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine.
The discussions come after Trump announced what he described as a deal to end the three-and-a-half-month US war against Iran, a conflict that has overshadowed developments in Ukraine in recent weeks.
Speaking during a bilateral meeting with Macron on Monday (June 15), Trump revealed he had recently spoken with both Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"Now that this (Iran) is finished, we're going to be focusing on that," he said.
Macron has indicated he will try to persuade the US leader to maintain support for Ukraine while increasing pressure on Russia in an effort to secure a peace agreement.
Alongside Ukraine, leaders are also holding talks aimed at "ending crises and ensuring stability in the Middle East."
Representatives from Egypt, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates are expected to participate in those discussions.
The summit comes amid ongoing tensions between Trump and several of America's closest allies.
In recent months, the 80-year-old has clashed with Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni over his decision to launch military action against Iran without consulting them beforehand.
Trump has reportedly threatened consequences for their lack of support, including the possibility of withdrawing US troops from all four countries, each of which is a NATO member.
Despite the disagreements, leaders are hoping to work together during the summit as they tackle concerns over rising oil prices and disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Ahead of the gathering, France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom released a joint statement alongside Canada praising the US, Iran, and diplomatic mediators for what they described as a "diplomatic breakthrough".
"This is a moment of opportunity to restore regional stability and stabilise the global economy," the statement read. "It is now vital that the detailed negotiations are concluded and this agreement is implemented rapidly and comprehensively. We are ready to support that effort.
"The urgent re-opening of the Strait of Hormuz with unconditional and unrestricted freedom of navigation is essential. We are committed to playing our part to achieve this - in accordance with our respective constitutional requirements - including through a strictly defensive and independent mission to reassure commercial shipping and conduct mine clearance operations," they added.
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