World leaders have arrived in Évian-les-Bains for a G7 summit set to be dominated by Iran, Ukraine, trade tensions and the future of artificial intelligence.

French President Emmanuel Macron is hosting the three-day meeting from 15 June to 17 June, with US President Donald Trump expected to take a central role in talks following the announcement of a preliminary US-Iran framework agreement.

The summit comes at a sensitive moment for the G7, as leaders try to coordinate positions on global security while managing renewed tensions between Washington and its allies.

em360tech image

Iran Deal Takes Centre Stage

Iran is expected to dominate the opening discussions after the US and Iran signalled progress towards ending their conflict.

According to Reuters, the proposed framework includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz, lifting the US blockade on Iranian ports and beginning wider talks on sanctions relief and Iran’s nuclear programme.

The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most important energy corridors, making the agreement significant for global markets as well as regional security.

European leaders have welcomed the apparent diplomatic progress, but they’re also expected to press for clarity on what comes next. For Europe, the immediate concern is the restoration of stable maritime traffic through the strait. The longer-term concern is whether a preliminary agreement can lead to wider negotiations on nuclear limits, regional security and sanctions.

Trump’s arrival is expected to shape the tone of the summit. His first bilateral meeting is expected to be with Macron, with Iran and Ukraine both high on the agenda.

Ukraine Remains a Major Pressure Point

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is also expected to attend the summit as European leaders look for ways to maintain pressure on Russia and define what long-term support for Kyiv should look like.

The war in Ukraine is now in its fifth year, and G7 leaders are expected to discuss whether future support should move beyond temporary assistance towards firmer security guarantees.

European officials are also expected to argue that Ukraine should enter any future negotiations from a position of strength. That has become a central concern as leaders consider whether meaningful talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin may become possible.

AI Moves Up the G7 Agenda

Artificial intelligence is another major focus of the summit, with senior executives from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google DeepMind and Mistral AI expected to attend a working session with world leaders.

The meeting is expected to focus on AI deployment, governance and online safety, according to Reuters.

The timing is important. The G7 talks come days after the US government ordered Anthropic to suspend foreign access to its Fable 5 and Mythos 5 AI models on national security grounds. Anthropic said it had disabled the models to comply with the directive.

The decision has raised fresh questions about access to advanced AI systems, especially for US allies that depend on American AI providers. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said the Anthropic restrictions showed the risks of overdependence on a small number of providers.

For European leaders, the issue feeds into a wider debate over technology sovereignty. France has pushed for stronger European AI capabilities, while companies such as Mistral AI have become central to the continent’s efforts to reduce dependence on US and Chinese technology.

China Trade Tensions Add Another Layer

China is also expected to feature heavily in discussions, particularly around industrial overcapacity, trade imbalances and critical mineral supply chains.

Reuters reported that the G7 agenda includes efforts to diversify critical mineral supplies away from China and address wider economic imbalances.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is expected to contribute to discussions on how to respond to Chinese trade pressure, as European leaders prepare for separate high-level talks with Beijing later this week.

The issue is likely to remain sensitive. G7 members want to reduce dependence on China in strategic sectors, but they also need to avoid escalating trade tensions at a time when global markets are already being tested by conflict, energy instability and technology controls.

A Summit Shaped by Security and Technology

Macron’s summit was already expected to focus on economic security, Ukraine and global governance. The reported US-Iran breakthrough has changed the political stakes.

For the G7, the challenge is now broader than one conflict or one technology dispute. Leaders are trying to manage a global order where energy routes, AI systems, critical minerals and military security are increasingly connected.

That makes this summit a test of coordination as much as diplomacy. The question is whether G7 leaders can find common ground on the crises in front of them, while also setting rules for the technologies and supply chains shaping the next one.