Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) nations have reaffirmed their support for Ukraine, including its territorial integrity, and agreed to intensify sanctions on Russia as Kyiv seeks to strengthen its position in efforts to secure a peace agreement with Moscow.
The commitment was outlined in a joint statement issued at the conclusion of the June 15-17 G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, highlighting a rare show of unity among member states on the war in Ukraine.
The consensus was particularly notable given previous difficulties in aligning the administration of US President Donald Trump with other G7 members on approaches to ending the conflict.
The statement followed what Trump described as a “very good” meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and fellow G7 leaders on Tuesday. The discussions fuelled optimism that progress towards a peace agreement could be achieved, with Zelenskiy indicating he may meet Trump again on Wednesday.
The declaration also reflects Ukraine’s strengthened negotiating position following successful drone operations that have reportedly weakened Russia’s military leverage.
Beyond Ukraine, G7 leaders welcomed the preliminary peace agreement between the United States and Iran, signed by Trump on the eve of the summit, and expressed readiness to support its implementation.
The leaders also pledged to diversify global energy supply routes, reduce reliance on the Strait of Hormuz and expand strategic energy reserves in an effort to enhance energy security.
Attention on Wednesday shifted towards critical minerals and global economic imbalances, key priorities of France’s G7 presidency.
French officials are pushing for an agreement aimed at reducing Western dependence on China for critical minerals while protecting investors from market distortions, countermeasures and dumping practices.
The issue gained urgency after China disrupted global supply chains last year by imposing export restrictions on rare earth permanent magnets, exposing the vulnerability of Western industries reliant on Chinese supplies for energy, defence and advanced technology manufacturing.
“We are negotiating texts that are significant on critical minerals and, as a consequence, on economic sovereignty,” a French presidency official said ahead of the summit.
Proposals discussed by G7 members include price support mechanisms, subsidies, market standards, guaranteed purchasing agreements and measures to encourage greater private-sector investment in mineral supply chains outside China. Diplomats cautioned, however, that any agreements reached at the summit are likely to represent only initial steps.
China’s restrictions on rare earth exports formed part of a broader tightening of controls over strategic materials. Beijing has also limited access by American companies to exports of tungsten, antimony and other critical resources.
Western governments have accelerated efforts to secure supplies from new mining projects and expand processing and recycling capabilities. However, analysts note that reducing China’s dominance will require years of sustained investment.
The United States proposed the creation of a critical minerals trading bloc earlier this year, but participating nations remain divided over how such a framework should function, particularly amid concerns surrounding Washington’s “America First” trade policies.
G7 leaders are also discussing broader trade concerns, including what they describe as global economic imbalances and “predatory competition”, much of it linked to China’s growing industrial capacity and export strength.
French officials have characterised the imbalance as a global system in which China produces excessively, the United States consumes excessively and Europe invests too little.
Concerns have intensified across Europe over China’s record trade surplus and its expansion into higher-value manufacturing sectors, a trend some analysts have labelled a “second China shock”.
Ahead of the summit, French President Emmanuel Macron sought to engage Chinese officials in an effort to ease tensions. Beijing has consistently rejected European allegations of unfair state subsidies and has warned of “strong” countermeasures against proposed EU measures aimed at promoting domestic industries and technological sovereignty.
European Union leaders are expected to continue discussions on tougher trade defence measures against Chinese imports during a summit in Brussels on Thursday.
The EU recorded a trade deficit with China of more than €360 billion last year, the largest in its history.
Artificial intelligence is also on the summit agenda, with leaders expected to discuss issues including accountability for AI systems, the role of automated agents and challenges surrounding misinformation and truth verification.
Among those expected to participate in the discussions are Sam Altman and Dario Amodei.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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