Trump Meets Zelensky at G7 in Évian, Urges Russia to Make a Deal

President Donald Trump met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Group of Seven summit in France on Tuesday and expressed exasperation as Russia’s war in Ukraine crept back into Washington’s focus with no end in sight.

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At the G7 summit in Évian, France, Zelensky met Trump for around 30 minutes in a meeting that included French President Emmanuel Macron, and the trio later took part in a joint working session with other G7 leaders.

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Zelensky said air defense support was agreed with all members of the group strengthening Ukraine’s protection, and he said he spoke with Trump about Ukraine’s hope to secure US licenses to produce anti-ballistic systems and missiles.

Trump appeared to view the proposal positively, the President said, and he declared a “very good” meeting while saying, “Look, Russia should make a deal. I’m gonna do whatever I can.”

Ahead of the summit, Russia fired hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles at Ukraine’s biggest cities in a barrage that killed 11 people and set fire to a religious landmark.

In the past 24 hours, EA WorldView said at least 10 civilians have been murdered and 64 injured by Russian attacks across Ukraine, and it added that air defenses downed 97 of 119 drones launched by Russia overnight.

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EA WorldView reported that in the Donetsk region in the east, Oblast, four people were killed and 18 injured, while in the Kherson region in the south, two civilians were slain and 11 wounded.

In the Dnipropetrovsk region, EA WorldView said three were killed and three wounded by more than 40 artillery and drone attacks, and it said a Russian drone struck the grounds of a children’s equestrian school overnight, killing several horses and damaging a stable.

G7 leaders at the summit approved a joint declaration committing to strengthen military support for Kyiv and to harden sanctions against Russia, with the statement saying, “We, the leaders of the G7, are united in our unwavering support for Ukraine to defend its freedom, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.”

“Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (L) and Donald Trump at the G7 summit in Évian, France, June 16, 2026 UPDATE 1337 GMT: At least 10 civilians have been murdered and 64 injured by Russian attacks across Ukraine in the past 24 hours”

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The same declaration said the G7 commit to increasing pressure on the Russian war economy and to strengthening sanctions, notably those targeting the oil and gas sectors, as leaders sought to keep Ukraine’s fight against Russia at the center of the agenda.

In the Washington Post framing of the meeting, Trump met Zelensky at the Group of Seven summit in France on Tuesday and voiced frustration over Russia’s ongoing war with no end in sight.

At the summit, Trump also said he was willing to reinstate sanctions on Russia, and he told reporters the sanctions would return “soon” because “the oil is now flowing” thanks to the Iran peace deal.