Published on 6/17/2026
The leaders of the Group of Seven agreed, on Tuesday, to intensify pressure on Russia to end the war that has been ongoing for more than 4 years against Ukraine, coinciding with US President Donald Trump’s call on Moscow to “conclude an agreement” with Kiev to put an end to the war that has been going on for more than 4 years.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky participated in the G7 summit held in the French resort of Evian-les-Bains, and the Russian-Ukrainian war topped the discussions, which included tightening sanctions on Moscow and the possibility of holding a summit between the Russian and Ukrainian presidents.
American pledge
Zelensky met with Trump, who sought to negotiate with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, and the US President said after the meeting that “Russia must reach an agreement” to end the war against Ukraine.
He pointed to heavy losses on both sides of the conflict, adding: “The whole thing is ridiculous. So, yes, I will do everything in my power” to put an end to the war.
The US President also said in statements he made on the sidelines of the summit, “Russia has lost a huge number of people, and so has Ukraine.” When asked about a meeting with the Ukrainian president, he said that he had a “good meeting” with him, indicating that he would meet him again at a later time.
The American President acknowledged that the United States had until now been “focusing on Iran,” indicating that from now on he would like to pay attention to the Ukrainian issue, “not for financial reasons, but because of the human losses,” as he put it.
He added, “The only reason I intervene is that I do not like to see 25,000 young people die every month.”
Return of sanctions
Trump explained that the United States will soon be able to reimpose sanctions on Russian oil. Washington had extended an exemption from sanctions on Russian oil shipments at sea, which raised concerns among its European allies.
Trump said, “We will be able to do this soon, as oil is flowing now” through the Strait of Hormuz after the agreement with Iran to end the war in the Middle East.
European optimism
For his part, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that Trump’s statement that Russia should seek to end the war calls for optimism.
Mertz told reporters, “I found him very cooperative, and I also saw him listening very carefully. In this regard, it gives me – once again – a measure of optimism that we are here, as Europeans and Americans, now doing everything in our power, together, to end the war.”
In turn, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said In a post on the X platform: “The wind is blowing what Ukraine desires. Russia’s fatigue is clearly visible. It is time to redouble our support” for Kiev.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (left) speaks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Evian (French)For his part, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stressed that all the G7 powers are “unified in their position,” pointing to “a real sense of unity within the group, and a common agreement that things are changing.”
“Ukraine has shown that it is capable not only of defending itself, but also of regaining territory and inflicting very large losses on Russia,” he said in a statement to Times Radio.
He pointed out that Britain is about to impose a new package of sanctions on Russia, including liquefied natural gas tankers, in an attempt to pressure Moscow to stop its war on Ukraine.
A French diplomatic source told Agence France-Presse, after the talks, that the leaders “decided today to increase pressure on Russia by imposing sanctions on gas and oil.”
The source added that the leaders also agreed that “developments on the ground tend to favor Ukraine.”
French President Emmanuel Macron also invited Zelensky to stay until the end of the three-day summit, which concludes on Wednesday, so that he can meet with Trump and other G7 leaders.
