France on Monday begins hosting a summit of the Group of Seven (G7) leading economies, with discussions expected to be dominated by scrutiny of US President Donald Trump’s deal aimed at ending the war with Iran.
The three-day meeting is taking place in the spa resort town of Evian on Lake Geneva, where leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States will gather alongside invited guests as France seeks to widen the forum’s global engagement.
French President Emmanuel Macron is pushing an ambitious agenda covering global economic imbalances, energy security, artificial intelligence regulation and broader geopolitical tensions.
The summit comes against the backdrop of a newly announced US-Iran agreement, which Macron said would be reviewed by leaders, including its expected consequences for the Middle East and the possible reopening of the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy shipping route.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to attend Tuesday’s session on the war in Ukraine, while leaders from several non-G7 countries, including Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Brazil, India, Kenya and South Korea, have also been invited for discussions on regional and global security issues.
Macron said the summit would also focus on support for Lebanon, long-term stability in the Gulf region and efforts to secure a broader agreement on Iran’s nuclear and ballistic activities.
Beyond geopolitical issues, the summit will also feature discussions on emerging technologies. Senior executives from leading artificial intelligence firms, including OpenAI chief Sam Altman, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and Mistral AI’s Arthur Mensch, are expected to attend a working lunch focused on protecting minors in the digital space.
A heavy security operation has been deployed for the summit, involving thousands of police and military personnel, with heightened measures extending into neighbouring Switzerland. On Sunday, clashes were reported in Geneva between police and protesters opposing the G7 gathering, with authorities using tear gas and water cannons after demonstrators threw objects near the United Nations headquarters.
US President Donald Trump arrives in France on Monday, a day after his 80th birthday, which he marked with a public event that included mixed martial arts fights at the White House. His presence is expected to shape much of the summit’s diplomatic dynamics, particularly amid already strained transatlantic relations over security and economic policy.
Trump is scheduled to meet Macron on Monday afternoon before attending a working dinner with G7 leaders. He is also expected to extend his visit with a private dinner hosted by Macron at the Palace of Versailles after the summit concludes.
European leaders and Canada are expected to press Trump on the need to maintain pressure on Russia over the war in Ukraine, more than four years after Moscow’s invasion. Zelensky said he would meet Trump to discuss proposals aimed at advancing peace and reducing civilian casualties.
For Macron, the summit represents a key opportunity to reinforce France’s push for greater European strategic autonomy ahead of his expected departure from office next year.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will also attend the summit amid domestic political pressure, including the recent resignation of his defence minister and rising questions over his leadership.
China will not be represented at the summit, but its global economic influence is expected to feature in discussions, particularly its dominance in the production of rare earth minerals critical to modern electronics and energy technologies.
