Trump Urges Russia Peace Deal Post-Zelensky G7 Meeting

US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that Russia should make peace deals with Ukraine. This statement came after a “very good” meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Group of Seven leaders at the France summit.

Trump arrived in Evian-les-Bains for the June 15-17 G7 summit, carrying a preliminary agreement to end conflicts with Iran and focusing on ending the war in Ukraine. European leaders emphasized that Ukraine’s situation had improved as Kyiv sought more support for eventual peace talks with Moscow.

Trump expressed his commitment to doing whatever he could to end the conflict, stating “too many young men were dying on both sides.” He also said that Russia should make a deal, adding that it was the easiest war he has settled.

Zelensky posted on X after the meeting that the key focus is to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense and advance diplomacy to make Russia end its war. European diplomats noted that the meeting had been constructive, with joint analysis indicating that Russia was now in defensive mode.

European leaders aimed to convince Trump that previous US positions were overly favorable towards Moscow, especially as Ukraine’s drone incursions into Russian territory had improved its fortunes. The European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also posted on X, stating that the tide was turning for Ukraine and that an interim deal with Iran risks entrenching Tehran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

French President Emmanuel Macron said the priority was to ensure a “solid, serious agreement” was finalized. The working lunch focused on reopening the Strait of Hormuz safely and identifying alternative routes to bypass the waterway. Trump stated that the strait would be completely open by Friday. The interim deal with Iran would open a 60-day window for complex technical negotiations, including the fate of Iran’s highly enriched uranium stockpile and lifting international sanctions.

However, European allies expressed concerns that an inexperienced US negotiating team may fail to secure a robust nuclear agreement or address Iran’s ballistic missile program, potentially creating a prolonged standoff.