Washington: US President Donald Trump will travel to France next week for the G7 Summit, carrying an ambitious agenda that spans trade, artificial intelligence, global supply chains, the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, and efforts to reshape what his administration describes as an imbalanced international economic order.
The White House said Trump will use the June 16-18 summit in Evian, France, to engage with leaders of the world’s major industrialised democracies and a number of invited partners, while promoting US priorities on economic growth, investment, energy security and emerging technologies.
A senior administration official said Trump would seek to “reframe the conversation around development” by focusing on investment partnerships that are “mutually beneficial for both investor and recipient nations”.
The administration also plans to push initiatives on critical mineral supply chains, illegal immigration, drug smuggling and artificial intelligence.
The summit comes at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions, with the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East expected to feature prominently in discussions among leaders.
On Ukraine, a senior administration official said ending the conflict remains one of Trump’s top foreign policy priorities.
“We want the war to end. We want the war to end as quickly as possible,” the official said, describing the conflict as a source of continued loss of life and risk of escalation.
The official added, “The only person on the planet that speaks to the President’s role on the world stage who can bring the two sides together and try to negotiate the end of this war is President Trump.”
Although Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is scheduled to participate in a working session with G7 leaders, the White House said no separate bilateral meeting between Trump and Zelensky is currently on the schedule. Officials said the two leaders could still meet informally on the sidelines.
The Middle East is also expected to be a major focus of the summit.
A senior US administration official said the administration believes it is close to an agreement with Iran and suggested that any deal could have significant implications for regional security and global energy markets.
“We think we have a deal. It’s a great deal and a very strong deal,” the official added.
The official said Iran would be required to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and that the United States would lift its blockade as part of the process.
The administration also expects cooperation from G7 countries in future demining efforts aimed at restoring normal maritime traffic through one of the world’s most important energy corridors.
Trump’s summit schedule includes bilateral meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron, the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India.
Trade is expected to be another major topic.
A senior US administration official said France had included global trade imbalances on the summit agenda and said that the international trading system has been distorted by large surplus economies.
“The global trading system is totally imbalanced driven by large surplus countries like China, but also the European Union,” the official added.
The official said Washington remains committed to addressing those imbalances while working with partners on broader economic reforms.
The US administration also indicated that discussions with Canada would continue on the sidelines of the summit, although officials said they did not anticipate any major breakthroughs.
Nato and defence spending are also expected to arise in conversations among leaders.
A senior US administration official said European allies increasingly recognise the need for greater burden-sharing and noted that Nato members have significantly increased defence spending in recent years.
Artificial intelligence will feature prominently as well.
Trump is scheduled to participate in a working lunch with G7 leaders, outreach partners and global technology executives focused on innovation and AI.
(IANS)
