G7 summit in Evian‑les‑Bains draws spotlight on Macron, Trump and Merz

At the G7 summit in Evian‑les‑Bains, French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky were inadvertently recorded near an open microphone discussing a planned private meeting with US President Donald Trump and reaffirming EU support for Ukraine, including further Patriot‑rocket deliveries. The leaders also noted that the G7 would increase targeted sanctions on Russia’s oil and gas sectors.

During a group photo, Trump appeared confused and walked in the wrong direction, prompting Macron to intervene and guide him. The summit agenda covered the wars in Ukraine and Iran, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and broader issues such as the world economy and artificial intelligence.

German opposition leader Friedrich Merz attended with his family, prompting a satire segment by ZDF’s "heute‑show" that likened the family photo to the Swedish pop group ABBA. Merz responded on Instagram, embracing the comparison. The episode spawned further online jokes. A podcast followed the summit, analysing Merz’s role, Trump’s surprise signing of a framework to end the Iran conflict, and a possible German mine‑clearing mission in the Hormuz corridor.

Separate reports noted that the United States and Iran were set to sign a cease‑fire agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, underscoring the summit’s wider diplomatic relevance.