Five lessons from the G7 summit

Top meeting in Évian

Five lessons from the G7 summit

The Iran war has divided the USA and the Europeans. The hope for peace now brings them together again. And that offers opportunities for resolving another conflict.

Tougher sanctions against Russia and more weapons for Ukraine: The heads of state and government of the G7 countries published a joint statement the night before their last summit day, which many were hoping for – but which not everyone expected. But US President Donald Trump and his European allies had already come a lot closer at the summit after difficult months during the Iran war.

And the G7 summit in Évian, France, isn’t over yet – today the tense situation in the global economy and how to deal with artificial intelligence are on the agenda.

Here are the five most important lessons from the first days that the heads of state and government of seven leading democratic economic powers spent together on Lake Geneva.

The purpose of the summits of leading Western industrial nations has been questioned again and again in the 51 years since the G7 (then still known as the G6) was founded. This applies especially to the years in office of US President Trump. He was the first to later cancel a summit declaration out of anger and last year he simply left a day earlier.

This time he stays. The summit brought together the transatlantic allies, who had recently been so divided. On the second day of the summit, Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) spoke of “really great transatlantic and European unity.”

The reason for the new harmony is the framework agreement to end the Iran war, with which Trump traveled to Lake Geneva. The paper, which is not yet fully known, is already being criticized by many for making too many concessions to Iran. But there is still great relief at an end to the fighting and the imminent opening of the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most important oil trade route. Above all, this is expected to bring an end to the energy price crisis.

Even if there is still a lot to do. This includes clearing mines and securing merchant shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and concretizing the nuclear agreement. “The agreed peace simply has to last,” said Merz

The Europeans now see an opportunity for a breakthrough in efforts to end the war in Ukraine. For the first time in a long time, they see themselves as aligned with Trump, who seemed to have lost interest in the conflict during the Iran war. Now the heads of state and government – including Trump – even agreed on a joint statement at the G7 summit. It says that sanctions will be tightened, including in the oil and gas sector. It was also agreed to expand the supply of long-range weapons and air defense capabilities.