U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in the French Alps on Monday for the G7 summit on the heels of a new U.S.-Iran peace agreement that is expected to be one of the main topics of discussion with European leaders.
RELATED STORY | Countries welcome US-Iran deal, but key details and energy market impacts remain unclear
Trump began the trip by meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron on the sidelines of the summit, who pressed his U.S. counterpart for more details about the agreement that's set to be signed Friday in Geneva, Switzerland. France wants the agreement to go beyond Washington and Tehran, urging that the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon be included in the accord — and that Israel and Lebanon also be parties to the deal.
The White House said that Trump was expected to bring up the demining of the Strait of Hormuz so that shipments through the critical waterway can continue once the U.S. blockade is lifted. Both France and Britain have expressed interest in assisting in the reopening process of the Strait. Macron said Monday that he is prepared to move "very quickly" to provide assets to clear the Strait of any mines.
RELATED STORY | Trump's Iran deal draws questions from Republicans
Big tech is also expected to be featured prominently in talks over the coming days. France introduced a levy several years ago that places an additional tax on U.S. companies, including Apple and Amazon. Trump said he is urging Macron to scrap the levy, warning that the U.S. may otherwise impose a new 100% tariff on French wine exports to the United States.
Meanwhile, the war in Ukraine is also on the agenda. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently requested a face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which he declined. European leaders, including Macron, are now pushing Trump to renew pressure for peace in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Ahead of the summit, Trump took separate phone calls from Putin and Zelenskyy, who congratulated him on his 80th birthday. The Kremlin confirmed that Trump once again called for an end to the war in Ukraine. Zelenskyy said he and Trump also discussed peace, but that the two would talk more during their meeting at the G7 summit.
