Leaders at the G7 summit in Evian, in the French Alps, had expected the worst from U.S. President Donald Trump, and French President Emmanuel Macron worked to keep him engaged by easing the schedule and narrowing the agenda. Organizers even dropped plans for a joint statement, and after an unusually long one-hour wait for Trump and Macron’s first meeting on Tuesday, the mood still looked bleak.
Instead, the last two days brought a different Trump. He took part in all the talks, met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for more than an hour, and did not raise Greenland, European defense spending, or threats that he would force Ukraine into what many in Europe see as a surrender to Russia. By the summit’s end, before a formal reception at Versailles, Trump even signed onto a joint statement backing continued military and political support for Ukraine and promising a return to sanctions on Russian oil soon.
The apparent shift may have reflected Trump’s new priorities. According to the article, he is focused on ending the war he started with Iran, while trying to limit damage to U.S. credibility after Iran’s challenge in the Strait of Hormuz exposed American vulnerability and pushed oil prices higher. He was under pressure to defend himself against criticism that he had signed a deal worse than Barack Obama’s, rescued a shaky Islamist regime, abandoned Gulf allies, and shown Iran to be stronger than expected.
Behind the scenes, some officials believed a deal dubbed “Ukraine for Hormuz” was taking shape, in which Trump would not press Ukraine too hard, Europe would keep buying large amounts of American weapons, and Europeans would help him clean up the Persian Gulf crisis. Trump told Macron, who proposed a European coalition to secure shipping and help locate mines, that “maybe it is a good idea to send one or two ships.” The joint statement echoed that tone, saying Trump had provided an agreement supporting the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Trump had been “fully involved” in the discussions, and the article says the rare alignment may not last, since Trump could change his mind at dinner with Macron. Meanwhile, the European Parliament approved a frozen trade deal with the U.S., and Washington is expected to respond in kind.
