G7 Summit Focuses on Ukraine and Iran; Trump Says "I'm the Boss"

EU and G7 leaders on Wednesday pledged unanimous support for Ukraine and imposed new sanctions on Russia. US President Trump said at the summit, "I'm the boss."

The statement was made during the G7 summit held in Évian-les-Bains, France, from June 15 to 17, following a joint statement that could further strengthen Ukraine's leverage in potential peace negotiations with Russia.

Ukrainian President Zelensky and his allies aimed to convince Trump that Ukraine's counteroffensive is making progress and that Russia cannot dictate terms in any peace agreement.

The joint statement and comments from leaders indicate that Trump, after years of skepticism, is increasingly aligned with Zelensky's arguments. French President Macron said this shows a "real shift in attitude" by the US on Ukraine and called the summit "a success." In contrast, last year's G7 summit in Canada failed to reach a common position on Ukraine.

Italian Prime Minister Meloni said leaders "found common ground with Trump, which is not always a given." Canadian Prime Minister Carney praised the US and Trump for their "shift in position."

Last year, Trump left the G7 summit a day early due to Middle East tensions, but this time he attended the entire summit and will head to the Palace of Versailles later in the evening for a dinner. At this summit, leaders reached joint statements on several issues including Ukraine, artificial intelligence, and critical minerals, which visibly relieved the leaders.

However, any prospect of forcing Moscow into peace negotiations still depends on Trump's commitments, which are often difficult to pin down.

"I'm the boss," Trump said to attending leaders and reporters as he sat down for the global economic security meeting.

Trump's Iran Agreement Sets the Tone for Negotiations

G7 leaders also welcomed the preliminary peace agreement between the US and Iran and expressed willingness to help implement it, but Trump made no specific commitments regarding the roles various parties might play.

European allies fear that the inexperienced US negotiating team may fail to secure a robust nuclear deal in the next phase or address Iran's ballistic missile program, leading to prolonged confrontation.

Meanwhile, Trump emphasized that the memorandum of understanding with Iran is not a final agreement, and the US could resume bombing if Iran fails to fulfill its commitments.

"If I don't like it, if they're not honest, we'll immediately resume bombing and drop bombs right on top of their heads," he said.

Despite public support from European allies for the preliminary agreement, diplomats warned that reaching a lasting deal on Iran's nuclear program, ballistic missile program, and its support for proxy forces in the Middle East will be no easy task.