Emmanuel Macron has declared that the entire G7, including the United States, now recognizes 'the territorial integrity of Ukraine,' marking what he called a 're-synchronisation' of positions on the conflict. The French president welcomed a 'very deep change in the US approach,' asserting that Donald Trump and all leaders at the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains understood that Vladimir Putin is not genuinely interested in peace.
Macron on US Shift
'President Trump, like all of us, simply acknowledged that there was no serious willingness on Russia’s part today to discuss peace,' Macron said. He repeatedly emphasised a 'shared commitment to making progress on this issue,' describing it as 'a very profound shift and remobilisation of the G7.' The annual G7 meeting brings together leaders of the world’s largest economies: the US, France, Germany, Italy, the UK, Canada, and Japan.
Macron’s remarks contrast sharply with last year’s G7, when divisions over Trump’s courtship of Putin and European support for Kyiv were so stark that the US president left early and no final statement was agreed. This year, Trump met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy twice on the sidelines. Zelenskyy updated Trump on Ukraine’s military progress, which apparently impressed the US leader. The summit’s joint communique vowed to increase sanctions on Russia, including in the energy sector.
Trust and Follow-Through
When challenged on whether Trump could be trusted to follow through on commitments to consider further sanctions against Russia, Macron said: 'I have always trusted President Trump. When he has made commitments to us he has always done what he said he would do.' Macron’s belief that Trump was re-engaging on Ukraine was echoed by Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney, who said Trump had shifted to 'a more realistic understanding of how this war will develop,' describing this as a gamechanger.
Diplomats at the summit noted that Trump’s relief over the apparently imminent end of the Iran war had put him in a far better mood than expected, showing genuine willingness to engage on issues. At his closing press conference, Macron revealed that Zelenskyy had proposed inviting Putin to the G7 summit to discuss the impasse, but 'nothing had come back from Russia.'
Arms Production Under License
The US and several European G7 countries also agreed to produce long-range missiles and air-defence systems under license in Ukraine. This move aims to fill gaps in European defences while providing extra income for Ukraine’s increasingly efficient arms factories. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said: 'We are all currently producing too little, and this can be compensated for by granting licenses to companies that have these production capacities, including European and Ukrainian companies.' Trump has said he would look into US missiles being produced under license, though issues involving commercial secrecy and patents are expected.
