G7 Slaps New Sanctions on Russia, Merz Calls It a "Day of Hope" as Ukraine War Rages On
G7 leaders have agreed to tighten sanctions on Russia in a bid to force Moscow into peace talks, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy joined the summit after a deadly Russian drone and missile attack killed 11 people.
The Group of Seven (G7) major economies, meeting in Evian, France, announced new sanctions against Russia on Tuesday, aiming to weaken its economy and military capabilities [174342]. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called the move a "day of hope" and praised U.S. President Donald Trump for listening carefully during the discussions [174342]. The specific details of the sanctions have not yet been released, but British Prime Minister Keir Starmer vowed to “choke off” Russian revenue and pledged hundreds of millions of pounds in energy aid for Ukraine, including enriched uranium for its nuclear power plants [173546].
The summit opened with a packed agenda focused on ending Russia’s war in Ukraine and addressing the crisis in the Middle East [173838]. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy joined the talks at the invitation of host France [173838]. Hours before the summit began, Russia fired hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles at Ukraine’s biggest cities, killing 11 people and setting fire to the UNESCO-listed Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra monastery [173546][173838]. Zelenskyy called the attack “one of Russia’s most serious crimes against Christian culture to date” and urged G7 leaders to take “decisive and substantive” action, including more air defence support [173546].
U.S. President Donald Trump, who arrived at the summit carrying a preliminary deal to end the U.S. conflict with Iran, said he had “a very good conversation” with both Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin and believes “maybe we can do something there” [173546][173838]. Trump urged Russia to reach a peace agreement with Ukraine, saying he would do everything he could to end the war [174195]. French President Emmanuel Macron said he will try to persuade Trump to continue supporting Ukraine and increase pressure on Russia to reach a peace agreement [173838].
On the battlefield, a drone set fire to an oil depot in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region early Tuesday, causing panic-buying among locals due to fuel supply disruptions [173546]. A Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber crashed in Siberia’s Irkutsk region during a training flight, though the crew ejected safely [173546]. Leaders from Egypt, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates joined the summit for discussions on the Middle East, including the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz [173838].