'Russia should make a deal,' Trump says as he confirms he held 'very good meeting' with Zelenskyy, will meet again later today
Donald Trump spoke with reporters while seated next to the Emir of Qatar, confirming he had a "very good" meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier in the day and that they would meet again later.
"Look, Russia should make a deal. Russia’s lost tremendous amounts of people, and so has Ukraine. Last month, they lost 35,000 soldiers between the two; it’s on a monthly basis. They averaged 25,000 people, mostly soldiers, young, beautiful people, and it’s crazy what’s going on there.
But we had a meeting, and we’ll see… I spoke with President Putin on Sunday."
Trump noted there is "a lot of dislike between the two leaders," referring to Putin and Zelenskyy, and reiterated he would meet Zelenskyy again later in the day.
Kremlin says there was no invitation for Putin to attend G7 for talks with Zelenskyy
In response to Zelenskyy’s remarks about offering to meet Putin on the sidelines of the G7 summit in France, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that no formal invitation had been extended to Putin and that there are currently no open communication channels between Kyiv and Moscow.
Meanwhile, new leaders are expected to join the summit later in the afternoon, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who recently arrived from Slovakia where he met with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico.
During their meeting, the two leaders and their senior ministers signed several agreements covering defence, digital technologies including artificial intelligence, higher education, and labour mobility.
Fico stressed the benefits of the EU-India free trade deal, saying Bratislava would push for a swift implementation of the agreement as he invited Indian companies to invest in the central European country.
French President Emmanuel Macron has stepped out of the meeting room to welcome the leaders of Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar to the G7 Summit, as they are expected to join the midday session focused on the Middle East.
Due to delays earlier in the day, it remains uncertain whether the scheduled meeting has already taken place; further updates are expected throughout the day.
The key task of this G7 summit is to get Trump on board on Ukraine - analysis
At the media centre, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is engaged in a working session with President Zelenskyy titled "Building peace and security for Ukraine and for Europe." Starmer is scheduled to address broadcasters and the UK press shortly after.
While discussions are dominated by Iran, peace deals, and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, EU leaders aim to capture Donald Trump’s attention to discuss Ukraine.
US officials have previously indicated that Trump would not meet Zelenskyy privately, but French President Emmanuel Macron has expressed intent to facilitate such a meeting.
As the host of the G7 meeting, Macron invited Zelenskyy to attend the summit’s sidelines, hoping his presence could help consolidate the group’s support for Ukraine.
Macron was overheard at the Hôtel Royal, where the summit is held, saying:
"So first, do you have a bilateral thing organised … with president Trump?" before offering to "arrange this."
'Love is a long road' for Trump, but 'happiness' and 'my favourite person' for fellow European leaders
With no insight into closed-door discussions, attention turned to the music selections chosen by the Élysée Palace administrators for Macron’s handshakes with visiting leaders.
For Macron’s meeting with Trump, the song was Tom Petty’s "Love is a long road," featuring lyrics such as:
"There were so many times I would wake up at noon With my head spinning ‘round I would wait for the moon And give her one more chance To try and save my soul But love is a long, long road"
Italy’s Giorgia Meloni was paired with the classic "Felicità" by Al Bano and Romina Power, symbolizing happiness, while Germany’s Friedrich Merz was associated with Namika’s "Lieblingsmensch" (my favourite person).
Japan’s Sanae Takaichi received Nxnja Beats’ "Arigatō," a courteous thank you; Canada’s Mark Carney was linked to Celine Dion’s "All By Myself" or "I’ll Go Where You Go." UK’s Keir Starmer was given the James Bond theme by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and the EU’s Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa were assigned a rock version of the EU anthem by CNK.
This musical diplomacy was noted with appreciation for the Élysée admins.
Additionally, Germany’s Friedrich Merz shared a photo of the moment he presented Trump with a German national team football shirt bearing his name and the number 47, referencing Trump as the 47th US president.
Trump’s grandfather, Friedrich, was theoretically potentially making Trump eligible to play for Germany (quite a long shot, but these days…).
This gesture was described as World Cup diplomacy at its most desperate.
G7 start delay shows it's a one man show, really - snap analysis
The unusual delay in starting the meeting highlights the summit’s focus on managing US President Donald Trump and his positions.
Other leaders were kept waiting for nearly an hour as Macron, Trump, and Zelenskyy were absent from the room, an uncommon occurrence.
When Trump finally entered, Merz hurried to greet him, seeking an early photo opportunity.
EU’s António Costa received a briefing and informed leaders they could start in five minutes, though Canada’s Mark Carney noted, "it was five minutes five minutes ago." UK’s Starmer inquired about the situation, asking if "they" were meeting upstairs.
"The longer it takes, the better," Carney appeared to say.
Macron, Trump, and Zelenskyy then entered the room, and Merz immediately presented Trump with the German football shirt, which Trump initially seemed reluctant to accept but eventually posed with for photos.
The doors were closed to the media as the meeting commenced.
There was some confusion as officials briefed the leaders on the delay and thanked them for their patience.
Meloni was observed expressing optimism, saying, "We’re optimistic he will come," while discussing with Costa that someone was speaking with Zelenskyy.
With Macron, Trump, and Zelenskyy absent, speculation arose about ongoing behind-the-scenes discussions.
Meanwhile, leaders from Canada, the EU, Italy, Japan, and the UK waited for the arrival of the trio.
It appeared Meloni was recounting a story involving the White House, though details were unclear.
G7 leaders arrive for talks on Ukraine
Live images showed leaders arriving slightly late for the day’s talks, with French President Emmanuel Macron engaged in conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Macron walked casually with his hand in his pocket, while Zelenskyy appeared to be explaining something, likely last-minute tactical discussions before meeting Trump.
Other leaders, including Germany’s Friedrich Merz, Britain’s Keir Starmer, Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, Japan’s Sanae Takaichi, and EU’s Ursula von der Leyen, stood in a circle awaiting others.
Among their conversation, words like "ChatGPT" and mentions of cigarettes by Meloni were overheard.
Morning opening: G7 leaders meet for talks on Ukraine, Middle East
Leaders from Canada, the European Union, France, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States convened in Évian-les-Bains, France, to discuss Ukraine, the Middle East, and global issues.
Following arrivals the previous night, the morning session began with a focus on Ukraine.
President Zelenskyy joined the leaders as they sought to maintain US President Donald Trump’s support amid concerns he might engage with Russia independently of Europe.
Just as the leaders were about to sit down for their talks, Zelenskyy said that Ukrainian forces struck a Moscow oil refinery last night in a "response" to recent attacks on Kyiv.
"Russia must be forced to end the war against our people," he said.
The agenda also included discussions on the Middle East and relations with rapidly growing economies, followed by bilateral meetings and a formal dinner later in the evening.
All key statements and developments will be reported throughout the day.
It is Tuesday, 16 June 2026. This report is by Jakub Krupa for Europe Live.
