Lula and Trump could meet informally at the G7 summit in France

The G7 summit opened on Monday in Évian, France, gathering leaders of the world's major economies. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump for about half an hour, congratulating him on his birthday and discussing steps toward peace in the Russia‑Ukraine war, thanking the United States for military aid.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva arrived in France for the summit and officials said there is a chance of an informal, behind‑the‑scenes conversation with Trump, although no formal bilateral meeting is scheduled. Lula plans to criticize high global interest rates, highlight Brazil’s recent drop in deforestation, and push for more development‑focused trade policies while addressing U.S. tariff pressures. He also has confirmed meetings with the presidents of France and Japan during the summit.

Both leaders see the G7’s smaller meeting rooms and concurrent sessions as opportunities for quick corridor talks, a dynamic that previously occurred at the UN General Assembly.