G7 (Group of Seven) Summit Opens in Evian: Trump Expected, Macron Pushes for Revival of Strait of Hormuz Navigation
The G7 Leaders' Summit opened on Monday, June 15, in the lakeside town of Évian, located in eastern France at the foot of the Alps, with a three-day agenda. The summit convenes just as the United States and Iran announced a preliminary agreement to end their prolonged conflict, making U.S. President Donald Trump—responsible for this major diplomatic breakthrough—the focal point of the gathering. Meanwhile, host French President Emmanuel Macron aims to seize this opportunity to launch an international initiative led by Britain and France, aimed at assisting the restoration of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, cooling down the Middle East situation swiftly, and achieving consensus on global economic imbalances, the war in Ukraine, and artificial intelligence regulation.
On Sunday, the U.S. and Iran announced a preliminary agreement, marking a significant step toward ending months of conflict. Encouraged by the news, international oil prices plunged sharply on Monday to their lowest levels since March, with Brent crude and U.S. light crude both falling to around $80 per barrel. Stock markets surged, with Tokyo and Seoul indices rising by 5% and 5.2%, respectively.
The U.S. and Iran are scheduled to formally sign the preliminary agreement in Geneva this Friday, after which a 60-day negotiation period will begin, focusing on technical discussions regarding phased sanctions relief and Iran’s nuclear program. Iran stated that military operations—including those targeting Lebanon—would be completely halted starting from late Monday local time.
The U.S.-Iran agreement and its implications have become one of the most closely watched topics at this G7 summit. Immediately following the announcement of the deal, Macron declared that G7 leaders would discuss the "expected outcomes" of the agreement, including the re-opening and long-term accessibility of the Strait of Hormuz, emphasizing that the strait must be reopened as soon as possible and without conditions.
On social media platform Instagram, Macron posted that the international safeguard mechanism proposed by France and the UK is ready to assist in restoring safe passage through the strait. G7 leaders will discuss follow-up arrangements related to the agreement, support for Lebanon, and future comprehensive agreements concerning Iran's nuclear program and ballistic missile activities. He stressed that leaders from Middle Eastern countries such as Egypt, the UAE, and Qatar will also participate in these discussions, beyond G7 members.
Known for his skepticism toward multilateral summits, Trump arrived in France on Monday afternoon and will first hold talks with Macron. Subsequently, the two will join other member state leaders for the summit’s opening ceremony starting at 5 p.m.
AFP highlighted the ups and downs in the relationship between Trump and Macron over recent years. After their famous handshake during their first meeting in 2017, which sparked widespread discussion, their cordial relations were tested by trade wars, Trump’s interest in Greenland, and U.S. military strikes against Iran. Reports indicate that, despite the unpredictable nature of Trump, Macron has long been regarded as one of the European leaders best able to engage in constructive dialogue with him. Although Macron now expresses some reservations about Trump, he continues efforts to maintain communication. As host, Macron will also host a dinner for Trump at the symbolic Palace of Versailles on Wednesday.
This marks Macron’s second and final presidency-led G7 summit. His presidential term ends next year. While increasingly seen domestically as a “limping” leader, Macron still wields influence on the global stage. He hopes to use this summit to showcase France’s diplomatic clout and drive consensus among nations on several major international issues. He reaffirmed his commitment, stating, “This will be a summit focused on crises—and a summit with tangible results.”
Beyond the Middle East situation, Ukraine remains another central focus. Macron seeks to persuade Trump to listen more closely to Kyiv’s position rather than Moscow’s, thereby intensifying efforts toward a ceasefire in Ukraine. A dedicated session on Ukraine will be held on Tuesday, attended by both Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. AFP reports that given their phone call on Sunday during Trump’s 80th birthday, a bilateral meeting during this summit cannot be ruled out.
However, Reuters notes that with the U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement currently taking precedence in Trump’s foreign policy agenda, the importance of the Ukraine issue may not rise significantly.
Economic issues represent another key agenda item pushed by France. Macron stated that the global economy faces serious imbalances—excessive U.S. consumption and insufficient investment in Europe. He argued that Americans need to understand tariffs are “a bad idea” and must be gradually eliminated. Reports suggest this topic will face resistance, as Trump has long advocated protectionism, and his global tariff war has affected G7 allied nations as well.
Artificial intelligence governance is also a major new focus of the summit. CEOs from tech companies—including Sam Altman of OpenAI, Dario Amodei of Anthropic, and Guillaume Marçais of Mistral AI (Europe)—have been invited to participate in discussions centered on AI regulation, minors’ use of social media, and AI safety. Reports indicate that tensions may arise during the summit discussions, following the U.S.’s unprecedented move to suspend access to Anthropic’s most advanced AI models for “all foreigners,” including allies in Europe, citing national security concerns.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1868108280205388/
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