The issue of the war in Ukraine is once again becoming a central topic at the G7 summit.
Donald Trump / © Associated Press
Ukraine’s allies are trying to avoid conflict with US President Donald Trump at the G7 summit, as he is once again focusing on Russia’s war against Ukraine after the Iranian crisis.
This is reported by Politico.
Upon arriving in France, Trump told reporters that “everything is wonderful” and later held a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron. During this meeting, the US president stated his desire to utilize new opportunities to resolve the war in Ukraine.
“Now that that’s done, we’ll focus on this and see if we can get it done,” Trump said, sitting next to Macron. He also reiterated that thousands of people, primarily soldiers, are dying in the war each month, and this “shouldn’t be happening.”
However, such statements are not perceived as unequivocally positive signals in Europe. According to media reports, European officials fear that Trump, freed from daily attention to the Iranian issue, might attempt to regain control over the peace negotiations concerning Ukraine.
Europeans are concerned that in such a scenario, they might be sidelined, and the strategy of maximum pressure on Russia and full support for Ukraine could be jeopardized.
“The fact that Trump was distracted wasn’t necessarily a bad thing,” commented one EU diplomat.
The issue of ending the war in Ukraine is expected to be at the forefront again during the G7 summit. Trump and other G7 leaders are anticipated to hold a two-hour working meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Zelenskyy publicly emphasizes that US involvement remains crucial for ending the war. Following a conversation with Trump on Sunday, he stated that the parties discussed “good ideas” that could help bring peace closer.
The Trump administration also asserts that the US president desires an end to the war and remains optimistic about the possibility of a peace agreement.
Nevertheless, Europeans have been unsettled by Trump’s remarks about seeing an opportunity to “do something” after separate conversations with Volodymyr Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Macron, for his part, has stated that Europe is currently financing arms supplies to Ukraine and therefore has a say in future negotiations.
“The right kind of negotiation is when Ukraine and Russia sit at the table, and the Europeans and Americans are on their side,” the French president said in an interview with TF1.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that increasing financial support for Ukraine should be one of the G7 summit’s priorities. According to her, the EU has already allocated 90 billion euros, covering about two-thirds of Ukraine’s financial needs for this and the next year.
“Regarding the remaining third, we need Ukraine’s partners to step up,” von der Leyen emphasized.
She also recalled the agreement to commence official negotiations on EU membership with Ukraine and Moldova.
European leaders are attempting to form a unified stance with the US ahead of potential negotiations with Russia. According to sources, it is important for the EU that Washington does not weaken its position on Ukraine.
A particular concern in Europe was Trump’s extended phone conversation with Putin. The US president stated he had a “very good conversation” with both Zelenskyy and Putin and believes both sides are “open” to finding a solution.
Against this backdrop, Putin’s aide Yuri Ushakov announced that Trump’s negotiators on Ukraine, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, might travel to Moscow in the near future.
The EU, meanwhile, is preparing a new, 21st package of sanctions against Russia. It is intended, in particular, to target Russia’s “shadow fleet” of oil tankers and support the price cap on Russian oil.
However, as sources note, there are currently no clear indications that the US is prepared to follow this approach or allocate additional funds for Ukraine’s military support.
Another pressing issue remains the format of future negotiations. Zelenskyy, during meetings with EU leaders, insisted that Europe should be an ally of Ukraine with shared interests, rather than a mediator.
European and Ukrainian officials aim to secure US support for a strong, unified negotiating position. They also reject suggestions that Ukraine should cede territory.
Conversely, should Trump intervene actively, his approach might not align with Europe’s vision of how negotiations should proceed and who should be at the table.
Ukraine Peace Negotiations: Latest News
Earlier, US President Donald Trump made a significant statement about ending the war in Ukraine. Trump said that after signing the deal with Iran, he would focus on the war in Ukraine.
On June 14, Vladimir Putin congratulated Donald Trump on his birthday and, during their conversation, again commented on the war against Ukraine. Specifically, he stated that Kyiv’s strikes on infrastructure within the Russian Federation allegedly would not affect the situation on the front lines.
Putin also reportedly made it clear that a potential meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy could only take place in Moscow.
Following this, Zelenskyy proposed holding a meeting with Putin on the sidelines of the G7 summit. According to sources, a proposal for a broader format of negotiations involving the leaders of the US, EU countries, Canada, and Japan was conveyed to Moscow. However, the Russian side again showed no readiness for dialogue on ending the war.
Meanwhile, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that cautious signals for a potential launch of diplomatic processes to end the war in Ukraine are appearing for the first time.
Merz also announced plans to discuss a package of five conditions for a potential peace settlement, previously agreed upon during a meeting in London, with US President Donald Trump.
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