With war in Europe and tensions in the Middle East hanging over the agenda, G7 leaders used their summit to project a message of unity, pledging continued backing for Ukraine and tougher measures aimed at Russia’s wartime economy.
“In this context, we will strengthen our sanctions (against Russia), including those on the oil and gas sectors,” the leaders said in a joint statement.
Meeting in the French town of Evian-les-Bains, the leaders also welcomed the agreement between the United States and Iran, saying they stand ready to help put the deal into effect.
They also said they would work to broaden energy supply routes, cut reliance on the Strait of Hormuz and build up energy stockpiles.
Sam Altman, the head of artificial intelligence giant OpenAI, Anthropic chief Dario Amodei and Arthur Mensch of their European rival Mistral AI, are set to join the leaders for lunch.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday that children under 16 will be barred from using social media in the UK, while France is also considering a comparable restriction.
Talks at the G7 will center on how to “improve cyber security and protect our children and our democracies,” Mr Macron said in an Instagram video released ahead of the summit.
‘The main attraction’
Mr Trump has dominated attention throughout his visit to the summit in the lakeside resort of Evian.
French officials are likely to view his decision to remain for the full gathering as a positive sign, especially after he departed early from the previous meeting in Canada.
In a striking move, Mr Macron has invited Mr Trump to dinner at the Palace of Versailles outside Paris once the summit wraps up this afternoon.
Facing pressure to avoid the appearance of courting Mr Trump too eagerly, Mr Macron has already stressed that the evening at Versailles will not be a “gala” dinner.
Iran remains high on the summit agenda, with allies keen to press Mr Trump on his agreement with the Islamic republic to end the Middle East war, which is due to be signed in Switzerland on Friday.
Mr Trump said the United States was under “no obligation” to invest in Iran after the deal, adding that Washington’s chief concern was ensuring Iran did not obtain a nuclear weapon and warning that “all hell” would “rain down” on the country if it did.
On Ukraine, Mr Trump has taken a sharper line toward Moscow, saying Russia should “make a deal” and signaling that Washington could restore sanctions that had previously been waived.
He has also struck a more critical note toward Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
