From June 15th to 17th local time, this year's G7 summit will be held in France. Just before the meeting, the United States and Iran announced that they had reached a preliminary agreement to end the war.
According to Reuters, reported on June 15th local time, during this summit, leaders from various countries will discuss several issues. One of them is the follow-up actions regarding the Iran issue. In addition, the summit will seek to reach a consensus on issues such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the so-called 'trade imbalance' with China, and the search for key mineral resources.
However, on June 14th local time, a large number of protesters appeared in Switzerland. While venting their frustration at the G7 summit being held in Évipont-lès-Valence, France on the other side of the border, they set fire to a Tesla car and smashed the windows of a United Nations agency. The police in Geneva, Switzerland, used tear gas against the protesters.
According to witnesses, protesters lifted bricks from the ground and threw them at the police. When tear gas filled the streets in the center of Geneva, some children even started crying in fear.
According to reports, about 20,000 people gathered to participate in the protest on that day. Initially, the atmosphere during the protest was calm, but later the protesters turned their attention to symbols they saw as representations of ‘capitalism’ and ‘multilateralism’. Tesla cars parked along the roads and offices of United Nations agencies became targets of their attacks.
June 14, 2026, Geneva, Switzerland - Protests against the G7 summit took place. Police estimate about 20,000 people participated in the march. During the march, protesters clashed with police, and vehicles were set on fire; some buildings and public facilities also sustained damage. Some protesters attacked police with stones and fireworks; police retaliated with tear gas. IC Photo
Over the years, protests have been a common occurrence during G7 summits. Many protesters take this opportunity to criticize capitalism, globalization, climate change, and inequality issues.
During this protest, demonstrators said that they were protesting against the G7 because the organization symbolizes the concentration of political and economic power. Last week, tech tycoon Elon Musk, who was a advisor to US President Trump, became the world's first trillionaire.
Protester Pippa Saugy said, “In my opinion, this is a gathering of the rich. It once again shows how the rich can become even richer, while the poor are left behind.”
In Geneva, due to concerns about violent incidents, shops along the streets sealed their doors with wooden boards, and hundreds of riot police were deployed on the streets.
Regarding such a strict deployment of police forces, Mattia Piccard feelsraged: ‘This is meant to intimidate protesters and the public, preventing them from protesting.’
Another demonstrator, Clélia Colin, raised the issue of gender inequality. "The values represented by G7 are clearly tinged with misogyny and contribute to inequality," she said.
U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to arrive in Évron-le-Blan and attend the G7 Summit on June 15 local time. Despite the growing vigilance among global leaders towards the United States, French officials are pleased that Trump will be able to attend the meeting, as he returned home ahead of time during last year's G7 Summit in Canada.
Reuters noted that Trump's erratic actions on the international stage have directly affected many G7 leaders. These actions have also disrupted the situation in the Middle East, global trade, and the diplomatic landscape. Therefore, Trump's behavior has raised questions about whether the United States still intends to maintain the post-war global order it helped establish.
During this summit, Trump plans to meet with Middle Eastern leaders and hold a working meeting with Ukrainian President Zelensky.
Trump and Zelenskyy are scheduled to meet on June 16 local time. This meeting comes at a time when Russia's offensive in Ukraine has slowed down, while Ukraine is seeking allies to provide more military funding.
The report suggests that Zelenitsky’s situation has improved compared to last year, when Trump said to him in the Oval Office of the White House, “You don’t have any cards.” However, the Ukrainian president may find it still difficult to gain more support from the United States, as Trump’s current priority is to end the conflict in the Middle East, a conflict that has weakened his domestic support.
Regarding the situation in the Middle East, the leaders of the G7 countries hope to learn more details about the US-Iran agreement. The United States and Iran have just reached a memorandum of understanding, which is scheduled to be officially signed in Switzerland on June 19 local time, but the specific terms have not been immediately announced.
Trump stated that the Strait of Hormuz will be reopened, and he has also ordered the lifting of the blockade on Iranian ports. The Secretariat of Iran's Supreme National Security Council issued a statement stating that military operations and conflicts on all fronts, including those in Lebanon, will be permanently ended starting from evening on June 15 local time.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Garrig Barbadi stated that during the 60-day final agreement negotiations, Iran and the United States will discuss nuclear issues, the lifting of U.S. sanctions against Iran, the reconstruction of Iran's economic mechanisms, and mechanisms for verifying the commitments made by all parties.
This G7 summit will also include the United Arab Emirates, which is deeply affected by Middle Eastern wars, as well as key mediators Qatar and Egypt.
French President Emmanuel Macron will welcome Trump's arrival. For Macron, this summit is his second (and final) diplomatic conclusion of his term in office, which ends next year.
According to Reuters, although Macron is increasingly seen as a 'crippled duck' president in France, he still has some influence on the international stage. He has successfully persuaded Trump to agree to attend a grand dinner at the Palace of Versailles on June 17 local time.
The report states that France has taken the opportunity of being the rotating chair of the G7 to once again raise the so-called 'global macroeconomic imbalance' issue and encourage all parties to take action. This has always been a concern for the United States, which is the rotating chair of the Group of Twenty (G20) this year and will later become the rotating chair of the G7.
France even exaggerated this issue as a common responsibility of all parties, claiming that 'China has overproduction', 'the United States has overconsumption', and 'Europe lacks investment'.
June 10, 2026, Evian-les-Bains, France. The G7 summit is approaching, and the police are on duty at the dock. IC Photo
Meanwhile, the American "Political News Network" reported on June 8, citing four officials from three G7 countries who are familiar with the preparations for the summit. These officials said that just before this year's G7 summit, French President Macron plans to host a video call between G7 members and China to discuss global trade imbalances. The report noted that given the G7's tough stance towards China in recent years, this matter is of great interest.
It is worth mentioning that as the G7 summit approaches, China has become more and more frequently mentioned in the narratives of Western media.
The Associated Press reflected in an article published on June 14: "Without China, does the G7 still have any meaning?" The article pointed out that it was appropriate at the time when China was not included in the G7. However, today, China's economic, political, and strategic influence has changed significantly. Continuing to exclude China from this mechanism seems increasingly inappropriate.
The article states that although China is not a member of the G7, it remains a core issue that cannot be ignored by the G7. China's influence is affecting all G7 countries in various ways. For example, China has achieved a record trade surplus of nearly $1.2 trillion in 2025. China controls the supply of key rare minerals. China's technological advancements and growing military strength are putting pressure on its competitors. Additionally, China is one of the world's major greenhouse gas emitters.
All of this means that China will be the “elephant in the room” at the G7 summit held on the shores of Eiffel Lake in France.
Previously, Lin Jian, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, pointed out that the claim that “China’s overcapacity is hitting the world market” is a false proposition. Taking trade protection measures based on “overcapacity” will not improve one’s situation; instead, it will disrupt the stability and smoothness of supply chains, and slow down the global economic transition to a green model as well as the development of emerging industries.
Besides, Lin Jian had also expressed: "The Chinese side once again urged the seven-nation coalition to recognize the world’s dominant trend and abandon Cold War mentality and ideological prejudice. It should stop manipulating issues concerning China and interfering with China's domestic affairs and do more things conducive to international society's unity and cooperation."
