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G7 backs Ukraine, targets Russia
At the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a joint declaration pledging “unwavering support for Ukraine” while committing leaders to “increase the pressure on the Russian war economy” and strengthen sanctions on Moscow.
The declaration said G7 leaders would “increase the delivery of air defence capacities, additional systems and interceptors, and long-range capabilities” to Ukraine and consider extending to Ukraine “the benefit of licenses to allow for an increase in Ukraine’s military production.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky joined the leaders for talks on the war in his country, and he said “The entire ‘Seven’ supports Ukraine unanimously today,” while also warning that Russia is “toys with world leaders.”
Trump also signaled that the U.S. could soon reimpose sanctions on Russian oil shipments, saying “Soon we’ll be able to do that because the oil is now flowing,” after the Iran conflict agreement shifted attention back to Ukraine.
The G7 declaration framed the moment as easier to take more economic measures against Russia after the U.S. and Iran reached an agreement to end hostilities, while also calling for an international mission to protect ships and facilitate trade in the Strait of Hormuz.
Zelensky presses for pressure
Zelensky urged G7 leaders to increase pressure on Putin and pursue talks, saying “Today at the G7 summit we had real unanimity. Everyone was on the right side.”
He argued that Russia is not seeking to stop the war, telling the G7 panel, “For a long time some of our partners, so to speak, tried to balance. But now everyone recognizes that Russia does not want to stop, Putin does not want to stop this war.”
In parallel, Trump’s approach to sanctions remained a focal point, with the G7 summit described as a setting where leaders discussed putting the war in Ukraine back on top of their agenda after the Iran conflict overshadowed it.
Zelensky also said he proposed meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin during the G7 summit and that Moscow was “not ready” for such talks, while Trump said “Maybe we can do something,” adding “They’re both open to it.”
Sanctions, air defense, and fallout
As the G7 pressed for stronger measures, the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced “70 new sanctions measures” targeting Russia’s shadow fleet, military procurement networks and financial channels used to evade existing restrictions.
Starmer also tied the sanctions push to Ukraine’s defense needs, saying “Working with our G7 allies, we will continue to increase the pressure on Putin and his circle of collaborators until Russia’s war machine is brought to a halt and peace returns to our continent,” while the U.K. unveiled a £210 million export finance agreement to supply enriched uranium for Ukraine’s nuclear power plants for the next two years.
Canada’s Mark Carney announced new sanctions targeting “162 people, entities and ships — all components of Russia’s war machine,” and the Canadian prime minister’s office said the measures targeted Russia’s ghost fleet, energy revenues, its defense-industrial sector, and disinformation actors.
The stakes were underscored by renewed violence around the summit, with the U.K. and others discussing the need for a “decisive and substantive” response after Russian missile and drone attacks early Monday killed at least 11 people across Ukraine and caused a fire at an Orthodox monastery in Kyiv.
The G7’s next steps also included support for Ukraine’s bargaining position in future peace talks, with Zelenskiy saying Trump responded positively to his request to increase the supply of air defense missiles and that “more political pressure is needed to persuade Russian President Vladimir Putin to accept a peace agreement.”
