Leaders of the Group of Seven wealthy democracies convene in the French spa town of Évian-les-Bains from Monday, gathering on the shore of Lake Geneva for a three-day summit that runs through June 17. France, this year's host, has assembled an agenda spanning security, trade and the governance of artificial intelligence, with the meeting opening just as one of the year's defining crises appears to be ending.
The summit brings together the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, along with the president of the European Union institutions. France has also invited a slate of guest nations — Kenya, India, Brazil, Egypt and South Korea — extending the table beyond the core seven to reflect a widening circle of economic and diplomatic weight.
The diplomatic backdrop shifted dramatically over the weekend. President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that the United States and Iran had reached a deal to end their war, ordering the Strait of Hormuz reopened and the US naval blockade lifted, with a formal signing slated for later in the week in nearby Switzerland. The breakthrough hands the summit a more hopeful opening than seemed likely even days ago, while leaving leaders to weigh how to support a fragile agreement.
Artificial intelligence is set to feature prominently. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, speaking in Ireland before traveling to the summit, said the standards, regulation and responsibility surrounding AI would be part of the discussions, arguing that for any powerful technology it is essential to keep people "at the centre." The talks come amid intensifying friction over how governments should police frontier AI systems.
Trade and the global economy round out the core agenda, against a year of tariff disputes and strained ties between Washington and several of its partners. Carney has used the run-up to press for closer cooperation between Canada and Europe, framing next week's gathering as a chance to weave "strands" of a new world order less dependent on the United States.
Several leaders arrive carrying domestic baggage. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer travels to Évian days after the resignation of his defense secretary in a dispute over military spending, and faces questions about Britain's budget commitments at a summit where defense is on the table.
Security around the event is formidable. Switzerland has sealed most of the road crossings on its border with France near the summit site, closing 25 of 35 crossings between Geneva and France and reinforcing others with checks and barriers, a reminder of the logistical footprint a modern G7 leaves on the towns that host it.
For all the choreography, the substance will be measured in whatever joint language the leaders can agree on — on Iran, on AI and on trade — by the time the summit closes on Wednesday.