G7 Leaders Agree to Strengthen Ukraine Support as Trump Urges Russia to Negotiate Peace

Leaders of the Group of Seven countries gathered in Evian-les-Bains, France, on Tuesday agreed to step up support for Ukraine and work together to achieve a "just and lasting peace," according to the Japanese government. U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters, called on Russia to negotiate a deal, noting that both nations have suffered substantial losses. "Russia should make a deal. Russia has lost tremendous amounts of people, and so has Ukraine," Trump said, adding he would do "whatever I can" to end the conflict.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who joined the G7 leaders for a working session, emphasized that the focus in the French spa town near Lake Geneva was "to strengthen air defense for Ukraine and advance diplomacy" and "to make Russia end its war." The agreement came despite increasingly strained relations between Trump and European leaders. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi highlighted the importance of maintaining G7 unity to urge Russia to take "positive actions," while voicing concern over military cooperation between Russia and North Korea and deepening ties between Russia and China.

The Ukraine discussion occurred on the second day of the three-day summit, following discussions on the Middle East and international development reform. Trump said he would meet with Zelenskyy later in the day and noted that efforts to end conflicts—including the war with Iran concluded in recent weeks—would now shift focus to Ukraine. In addition to G7 members, France invited leaders from Brazil, Egypt, India, Qatar, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates to participate in various working sessions. The summit underscored the G7's commitment to supporting Ukraine while simultaneously addressing broader geopolitical challenges.