G7 Leaders Back Ukraine Surge But Iran Deal Exposes Allied Divisions
The G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains concluded on Wednesday with the seven major industrialised democracies pledging an emergency surge in military aid to Ukraine, including long-range strike capabilities and expanded air defence systems, according to the official communique released by the French presidency. The declaration, signed by leaders of France, Britain, Germany, Canada, Italy, Japan and the United States, marks the most substantive united commitment to Kyiv since the beginning of the conflict, drawing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy into a working session that lasted just 75 minutes on the summit’s second day.
Ukraine Support Intensifies as G7 Commits to New Sanctions
The commitment comes as Ukrainian forces have gained ground in recent months, creating what the communique described as new momentum that the alliance aims to accelerate through additional weapons deliveries. Britain and France have led advocacy for long-range capabilities that would allow Ukrainian forces to strike deeper into Russian-held territory, a position that found broad backing among the other members, according to a French diplomat familiar with the talks. The United States, despite President Trump’s earlier comments suggesting the Ukraine conflict had nothing to do with Washington, ultimately joined the consensus declaration endorsing the increased support package.
“We, the Leaders of the G7, stand united in our unwavering support for Ukraine in defending its freedom, sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the declaration read. Pascal Confavreux, a French Foreign Ministry spokesman, told journalists that leaders engaged in detailed discussions about the military and economic dimensions of the support package. The communique explicitly commits members to expanding sanctions on Russia’s oil and gas sectors, describing the moment as the right one for additional measures. European delegates said the final text represented a significant diplomatic achievement for France and Britain, who had spent weeks reconciling diverging positions among the seven members.
Iran-US Deal on Hormuz Shapes Regional Summit Strategy
A preliminary agreement between the United States and Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz dominated negotiations in Evian, fundamentally altering the atmosphere of the summit compared with its opening day, according to multiple officials present. The deal, brokered with the active involvement of mediating countries, was welcomed by all G7 leaders as a historic opportunity to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and to reduce tensions across the Middle East. The communique explicitly credited President Trump with delivering the reopening of the strategic waterway, a key point of contention that had threatened allied cohesion heading into the summit.
“Part of the discussions were, ‘OK, how can we imagine, finance, and build infrastructures, sometimes on the terrestrial part, that will be able to go outside of the track of the Strait of Hormuz?'” Confavreux told The Associated Press. The Hormuz agreement includes a multinational maritime security initiative led by France and Britain to escort commercial vessels through the Strait, verify the removal of mines and restore confidence among insurers and shipping operators. The G7 declaration commits members to accelerate diversification of energy supply routes to reduce dependence on the waterway, with Canada cited as a potential major new contributor to global LNG capacity within several years.
Fractures Linger Beneath United Front on Ukraine Response
Despite the joint communique, underlying divisions remained visible throughout the three-day gathering. President Trump’s assertion that the Ukraine conflict had nothing to do with the United States drew sharp reactions from European partners and exposed the transactional approach that has characterised his administration’s engagement with European security, according to analysts tracking the summit. The US leader departed the working session early on one occasion and held a brief bilateral with President Zelenskyy that produced no joint statement, in contrast to the full-group commitment that followed, a European official told Reuters.
On trade, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi both pushed for momentum on bilateral agreements during corridor discussions on the summit’s margins. The communique signals a broader shift in G7 development philosophy away from traditional aid models toward debt sustainability, private investment and economic self-reliance. The leaders also addressed an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, agreeing to coordinate travel, quarantine and isolation procedures across member states, AP reported. Looking ahead, G7 sherpas are expected to convene in coming weeks to translate the political commitments into operational plans, with particular focus on the Hormuz maritime security mission and the next phase of Ukraine arms deliveries. The UK and France are set to host a coordination meeting in London within the month to begin assigning operational responsibilities for the mine-clearing escort mission in the Gulf.
