PARIS, FRANCE — Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) have pledged to significantly bolster Ukraine’s air defenses and escalate pressure on Moscow’s war economy, capitalizing on the momentum generated by a newly brokered United States-Iran agreement to tighten sanctions on Russian oil and gas.
In a joint statement released on Wednesday at the summit in France, the G7—comprising Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union—reaffirmed their unified stance. “We, the Leaders of the G7, stand united in our unwavering support for Ukraine in defending its freedom, sovereignty, and territorial integrity,” the statement declared.
To accelerate this renewed momentum, the bloc agreed to expedite the delivery of air defense capacities, interceptors, and long-range systems. Crucially, the leaders indicated a readiness to extend licensing benefits to Ukraine, a move that would allow the embattled nation to ramp up its own domestic military production.
This development is a major victory for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who joined the summit on Tuesday. For over a year, Zelenskyy has heavily lobbied allies for the right to produce interceptors domestically to counter severe shortages in U.S. anti-ballistic systems. During his visit, Zelenskyy held pivotal bilateral talks with U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The G7 explicitly linked their renewed economic pressure on Moscow to the recent diplomatic breakthrough in the Middle East. With the U.S. and Iran reaching a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, global energy markets are expected to stabilize, providing the West with the geopolitical breathing room to tighten the screws on Russia.
“We commit to increase the pressure on the Russian war economy,” the G7 leaders stated. “In this context, we will strengthen our sanctions, including those on the oil and gas sectors. We consider this the right moment to proceed with additional measures, as President Trump has delivered a deal that we support in reopening the Strait of Hormuz.”
President Trump’s presence at the summit was marked by his characteristic assertiveness. Taking his seat on the final day of talks on Wednesday, Trump reportedly told the assembled world leaders, “I’m the boss.”
While historically viewed by some allies as skeptical regarding a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine, Trump told reporters that he intended to help resolve the conflict. “Look, Russia should make a deal,” Trump said. “I settled eight wars. This was the one I thought was going to be the easiest to settle.”
Allies noted a distinct evolution in the American approach. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters, “There has been a change in position on the part of the United States and President Trump. There is a position that is harder toward Russia and more realistic, in our view, of the situation on the ground of the war.”
President Zelenskyy celebrated the summit’s outcomes, taking to the social media platform X to highlight the commitments secured. “More air defence missiles along with licenses to produce them, winter support package, and cranking up pressure on Russia. Importantly, the US is ready to provide backstop across these lines of effort,” he wrote. “It is key that everything discussed be implemented. Russia must come to learn that its war will never be normalised. I thank everyone who’s helping.”
The global impact of the summit extended well beyond Eastern Europe. The G7 widely praised the U.S.-Iran agreement, with Britain and France stepping forward to facilitate the resumption of maritime traffic. Emphasizing that transit passage without tolls is the “bedrock of international trade,” the G7 backed a multinational, defensive initiative led by the UK and France to protect merchant vessels and verify mine removal in the Strait of Hormuz.
The leaders also addressed the escalating tensions in the Middle East, calling for an “immediate robust ceasefire” in Lebanon. The ceasefire aims to support Lebanese leadership in disarming Hezbollah, ending its monopoly on arms, and protecting Lebanon’s territorial integrity with robust international security guarantees.
As the summit draws to a close, the focus of the French presidency will shift toward long-term global economic strategy. Later on Wednesday, leaders will discuss global economic imbalances and critical minerals, with France pushing for a statement on measures to shield Western investors from dumping and reduce reliance on China. The summit will conclude with a high-stakes working lunch focused on artificial intelligence, featuring attendance from leading tech executives including OpenAI founder Sam Altman and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei.
