Closing summary
… and on that note, it’s a wrap for today!
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US president Donald Trump said Russia “should make a deal” to end the war (11:58), as G7 leaders met in Évian-les-Bains in France to discuss the latest in the fifth years of the Russian aggression on Ukraine.
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His call comes amid growing calls for a renewed push to the end the conflict, with the German foreign minister, Johann Wadephul, suggesting they could take place before summer (14:26).
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Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked G7 leaders for “for the strong ideas on how to force Russia into peace” (13:24), saying they agreed that Russia was not winning the conflict (13:31) and calling for further sanctions (13:33).
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After meeting with Trump, Zelenskyy said the US president was also “very positive that they can help us with missiles,” as the Ukranian president keeps pushing for a licence to Ukraine to produce Patriot missiles locally (13:37).
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Trump remained the main star of the first day of the event (10:01, 11:16), after confusing delay to the proceedings in the morning (9:51), and he got a German football team shirt as a belated gift for his birthday (10:16).
If you have any tips, comments or suggestions, email me at jakub.krupa@theguardian.com.
I am also on Bluesky at @jakubkrupa.bsky.social and on X at @jakubkrupa.
Spanish households save €10 a month thanks to renewables expansion, report finds
Europe environment correspondent
Spanish households save €10 a month on electricity bills because of wind turbines and solar panels installed in the last five years, a report has found.
Typical energy bills would be 19% more expensive if electricity costs were still as tightly coupled to gas prices as in 2021, according to Ember, a climate thinktank. It found Spain’s “strategic” expansion of renewables since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 has shielded Spanish households from the latest rises in fossil fuel prices caused by the Iran war.
Burning fossil gas is one of the most expensive ways to generate electricity in Europe, even before considering the health costs of the carbon emissions. The influence of gas on electricity prices in Spain fell from 52% of hours in 2021 to 9% of hours in the first five months of 2026, according to the analysis. In Italy, which has the highest wholesale electricity prices in Europe, gas influences the price 75% of the time.
The report found electricity prices in Spain rose by about 50% in the first half of 2021 – in line with European gas prices – but remained “largely unaffected” by higher gas prices in 2026. The effects of volatility in the wholesale gas markets was seen only as higher price peaks during the dwindling periods when large volumes of gas had to be burned.
Sweden votes to back laws reinforcing its immigration crackdown
European community affairs correspondent
Sweden’s parliament has voted to escalate the country’s crackdown on immigrant rights, backing laws that allow authorities to revoke residency permits based on a vague criteria of bad behaviour and obliging most public sector workers to report anyone suspected of being undocumented.
The new legislation comes ahead of parliamentary elections in September, pitting the centre-right government, which currently depends on the support of the far-right Sweden Democrats to govern, against a far right that has said its intent is to create one of Europe’s most hostile environments for non-Europeans.
Late on Monday, parliamentarians voted to pass the so-called “good behaviour” law, which would cover pending and future residents but also be applied retroactively to many of the country’s current residents.
“Anyone who doesn’t make the effort to do the right thing shouldn’t be able to count on staying,” Sweden’s minister of migration, Johan Forssell, said in March when he proposed the bill.
While the law does not specify the types of behaviour that would be deemed unacceptable, the government has previously mentioned examples such as unpaid debts, failing to pay taxes, criminality, and links to extremist organisations.
The task of reviewing permits would fall to the Swedish migration agency, and any decisions can be appealed against.
Russian artist and critic of Putin and Chechen leader shot dead in Poland
Russian affairs reporter
In other news, a Russian artist critical of Vladimir Putin and the Chechen leader, Ramzan Kadyrov, has been shot and killed in the eastern Polish town of Biała Podlaska, a prosecutor has said.
Five shots were fired at the victim, including one to the head, in the attack on Monday, a spokesperson for the district prosecutor in Lublin said.
Two Belarusians have been detained but not charged in connection with the case, he added.
Local media identified the victim as Robert Kuzovkov, who was also known by his artistic pseudonym, Semyon Skrepetsky, a Russian artist and performer known for his criticism of the Russian leader.
The Belarusian opposition Telegram channel DzikMedia, citing unnamed sources, reported that an unidentified man had attempted to scale the fence of the country’s consulate in Biała Podlaska while fleeing police, but was apprehended.
Three days before he was killed, Skrepetsky had travelled to Berlin on Russia Day, a 12 June holiday marking the country’s declaration of sovereignty before the collapse of the Soviet Union, where he staged a protest with an icon-like caricature of Joseph Stalin and Putin, according to the Meduza news outlet.
A relatively unknown figure in Russian émigré artistic circles, Skrepetsky was born in Russia’s Altai region and lived there until 2021, when he left for Poland citing fears of political persecution.
He produced satirical caricatures of Putin, Kadyrov, the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Moscow has previously targeted critics abroad, but some Russian artists and commentators in exile said they believed the killing bore the hallmarks of an operation ordered by Kadyrov.
Starmer denies being snubbed by Trump at G7 summit
in Évian-les-Bains
Keir Starmer has denied being snubbed by Donald Trump at the G7 in France after the two did not have a bilateral meeting at the summit.
The prime minister, who did meet the US president in a series of discussions involving other leaders, said he had a series of “very productive, very good conversations” with Trump.
He added that Britain was ready to play its “full part” in opening the strait of Hormuz after a peace deal between Iran and the US.
Earlier on Tuesday, Starmer was caught on a hot mic asking: “Are they having a meeting?” while Trump, Emmanuel Macron and Volodymyr Zelenskyy were absent.
Starmer, who announced new sanctions on Russia to target finance networks and expand the number of vessels targeted as part of Moscow’s shadow fleet carrying oil or liquified natural gas (LNG) to more than 600, said there was a “mood change” in the debate about Ukraine.
“[There is a] real unity in the G7 on Ukraine, a real sense that things are changing, that Ukraine is now taking territory, which it has done in the last few months, rather than defending territory, that the impact of sanctions is quite great on Russia,” he said.
“We’ve obviously put new sanctions in today, and there was a shared understanding around the table [ …] that the mood in Moscow is changing.”
EU-UK second summit confirmed for 22 July in Brussels
Separately, as we get closer to the 10th anniversary of the Brexit referendum next week, we have just had the news that the second EU-UK summit will take place on 22 July in Brussels.
In a series of coordinated posts on social media, the UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, said:
“Today I’ve agreed with @eucopresident that we will hold the second UK-EU summit on 22 July. My Labour Government is delivering on our promise to reset our relationship and put Britain at the heart of Europe.”
The European Council president, António Costa, said:
“Good discussion with prime minister @Keir_Starmer.
Close EU–UK cooperation is essential for our shared European security, resilience, and prosperity. We are working closely together to make our upcoming second Summit in Brussels on 22 July a success.”
The issue of how the future relationship between the UK and the EU could evolve further was discussed by EU ministers in detail last month, with political conclusion that the former member state shouldget no special treatment in its future economic relationship with the bloc.
European leaders urge Trump to host Zelenskyy-Putin talks
at the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains
European leaders at the G7 summit have urged Donald Trump to try to break the deadlock over ending the Ukraine war by taking up the proposal for him to host talks in the US between Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Vladimir Putin.
The US president lamented “the great antipathy” between the Ukrainian and Russian leaders that made it difficult to reach a settlement, and vowed to do what he could. He said Moscow “should make a deal”, noting that it had “lost a great many people, just like Ukraine”.
Zelenskyy, attending the summit in the spa town of Évian-les-Bains at the invitation of the French president, Emmanuel Macron, is attempting to re-engage Trump in the hope that the US administration will be less distracted now it has agreed a 60-day ceasefire in Iran.
Macron, caught on a hot mic at the summit, was heard admitting to Zelenskyy he had had difficult discussions with Trump on Monday concerning Ukraine.
Zelenskyy – who did not initially have a bilateral meeting with Trump scheduled – eventually met the US president alongside Macron for his first face-to-face meeting in four months.
He tried to convince Trump that Ukraine was no longer losing on the battlefield, and the US role should not be that of a messenger between the two sides but of a mediator supportive of Ukraine. The meeting delayed the start of the full summit.
US 'soon will be able' to potentially reimpose sanctions on Russian oil, Trump suggests
But Trump did appear to suggest he could reimpose some sanctions on Russian oil, though (or, technically speaking, let waivers expire).
Asked about the possibility of tightening sanctions on Russia, he said:
“Well, soon we’ll be able to do that because the oil is now flowing. So we put, we took sanctions off, because obviously we’re not looking to impede the oil, so we’re in a position to do that soon … at some point.”
Updated
Trump gets asked about his decision to stay a bit longer for a formal dinner hosted by the French president, Emmanuel Macron, at the Palace of Versailles on Wednesday night.
The dinner will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the US independence.
Trump says:
“I’m a fan of beautiful places, and… the French president, who happens to be a very nice man, invited me to dinner at Versailles … and Versailles is not a gold leaf, Versailles is the real deal.
And I said I’d like to do it, I mean, you know, all it means is that I get home later in the evening, meaning early in the morning, and I’m not a big sleeper anyway.”
We don’t get more on Ukraine, though.
Updated
Meanwhile, Trump is speaking to reporters again, after his meeting with the president of the UAE.
He is currently talking about the Middle East and Iran – we cover all of that on the Middle East blog - but I will pick up any lines on Ukraine and Europe.
Updated
Ukraine peace talks could start before summer, German foreign minister suggests
Meanwhile, the German foreign minister, Johann Wadephul, suggested that some talks on ending the Russian invasion of Ukraine could begin before summer.
Talking to RTL/NTV broadcasters, Wadephul said neither party appeared to have an upper hand on the battlefield, with the war effectively stuck.
“There is now a chance, I think, to begin talks this summer,” Wadephul was quoted as saying by Reuters.
Referring to Putin, he added: “He may now be at a stage where he is seriously considering it.”
Zelenskyy also briefly talks about business and Ukraine’s postwar reconstruction, stressing the importance of international security guarantees to underpin that process.
Zelenskyy gets asked about China and if he would be prepared to speak to Xi to end the war with Russia.
He effectively says that yes and that he is ready to talk to whoever can help with ending the war.
Russia will find way to block EU accession if we don't proceed swiftly, Zelenskyy says
Zelenskyy also gets asked about his talks with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, and his idea of an associate membership of the EU.
He praises Merz and says he is clearly on Ukraine’s side and stresses that he knows that Ukraine is hopeful on getting some sort of fast track to the EU membership.
He says if that does not happen, Russia “will find a way to block Ukraine’s way to EU.” “They don’t want to see us successful,” he says.
He says Ukraine wants the same membership as other countries, “not better, but not worse.”
Separately, he posted on social media that the pair also discussed “defence support for Ukraine,” including on air defence.
Zelenskyy gets asked about Trump’s infamous comment from last year that Ukraine does not hold any cards.
He says that the situation on the battlefield is changing, with Russia increasingly struggling on the battlefield.
Despite the Kremlin’s denials (12:04), he repeats his claim that he had suggested inviting Putin to join the talks.
He calls for talks with Putin before this winter and says they should take place in a third country, like Switzerland, Turkey, the US, or one of the Middle East countries.
“It was terrible winter for us, and but … we don’t want to go through the same winter of course … and Russia has to know that we had terrible winter and they will have also not [a] simple [one]” this year, he says.
He confirms he discussed his proposals with Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich recently.
Trump 'very positive they can help us with missiles,' Zelenskyy says
Zelenskyy says that he needs the US president, Donald Trump, to put more pressure on Russia, as he says “Trump can do it, or only maybe only him.”
He says Trump was also “very positive that they can help us with missiles,” as Zelenskyy keeps pushing for a licence to Ukraine to produce Patriot missiles locally.
He says he “hopes it [will be] a yes.”
Zelenskyy also says he wants the EU to build a “European anti-ballistic system,” because “otherwise we will [all] not have enough.”
G7 leaders discussed further sanctions against Russia, Zelenskyy says
Zelenskyy also says he discussed with the G7 leaders some proposals for more sanctions on Russia, including on its shadow fleet.
“We see the [oil] prices are falling down and … it’s good, as Russia will not get additional benefits,” he says.
He also mentions the Russian banking and military sectors.
Updated
G7 leaders agree that Russia is not winning, he says
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy is also speaking now at the Reuters Next summit, via a video link.
Asked about his talks with the US president, Donald Trump, he smiles he told him “everything.”
He says the leaders had a “very positive” summit with a wide-ranging discussion on how to press Russia into negotiations.
He says the leaders unanimously agreed that “Russia is not winning and losing a lot of people, and they have to make a deal as quick as possible.”
He adds a growing number of Russians understand they are not winning and should end the war. “Better late than never,” he says.
He confirms he “had some talks” with Trump and is hoping to have more later, with plans to also meet with Germany’s Merz, and the EU’s von der Leyen and Costa.
He says all leaders recognise that Russia keeps attacking civilian targets and does not seem to want to end the war.
Zelenskyy thanks G7 leaders for 'strong ideas on how to force Russia into peace'
Back to G7, Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy has taken to social media to hail a good G7-Ukraine discussion in France, thanking fellow leaders for their time this morning and “for the strong ideas on how to force Russia into peace.”
“Priorities are clear: more air defense missiles along with licences 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.
It is key that everything discussed be implemented. Russia must come to learn that its war will never be normalized. I thank everyone who’s helping.
Lithuania gets new prime ministrer after coalition reshuffle
Elsewhere, Lithuania’s governing coalition named a new prime minister after a coalition reshuffle that expelled a populist junior partner, Reuters reported.
The appointment of Mindaugas Sinkevičius – the head of the Social Democratic party who briefly served as economy minister – was confirmed by Lithuanian president Gitanas Nausėda.
Sinkevicius will replace current prime minister Inga Ruginienė, also a Social Democrat.
The Social Democrats – who lead the governing coalition – had announced in early June that they would be ousting populist party Nemunas Dawn, criticising its leader Remigijus Žemaitaitis for “inflammatory statements”.
EU lawmakers approve legislation on trade deal with US
Meanwhile, over in Strasbourg, the European Parliament has voted to approve legislation to implement the EU-US trade deal, after months of delays and uncertainty caused by numerous tariff threats from the US president, Donald Trump.
The vote was a formality after a political decision between the EU’s decision-makers was reached last month.
Starmer vows new sanctions on Russia and nuclear energy support for Ukraine
in Évian-les-Bains
Keir Starmer has vowed to “choke off” Russian revenue with further sanctions and to provide hundreds of millions of pounds worth of energy support for Ukraine, as he met world leaders in France for the G7.
After a torrid political week at home, the British prime minister sought to put himself on the front foot on the international stage at the meeting of the group of seven, which kicked off on Monday in the French spa town of Évian-les-Bains, on the shore of Lake Geneva.
Starmer is expected to meet the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and the prime minister of India, Narendra Modi, on Tuesday, the first full day of the summit.
He will announce sanctions against Russia, days after British troops seized a Russian shadow fleet oil tanker in the Channel.
He is also set to use the meeting to reassure Donald Trump he is willing to raise defence spending, after the resignation of his defence secretary, John Healey, last week and ongoing delays to his defence investment plan – but is not expected to have a bilateral meeting with the US president.
Kremlin says there was no invitation for Putin to attend G7 for talks with Zelenskyy
Meanwhile we also heard from the Kremlin, with Putin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, responding to Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s comments saying he had offered to meet Putin on the sidelines of the G7 summit in France (Europe Live Monday).
Peskov said there are currently no channels open between Kyiv and Moscow, and stressing there was no formal invitation to Putin to attend.
'Russia should make a deal,' Trump says as he confirms he held 'very good meeting' with Zelenskyy, will meet again later today
Oh, Trump is now speaking with reporters, sitting next to the Emir of Qatar.
He says he had a “very good” meeting with Zelenskyy this morning and will meet with him again later today.
“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.”
He says there is “a lot of dislike between the two leaders,” and he will meet with Zelenskyy again later today.
Updated
There will be more new faces joining later this afternoon, with India’s Narendra Modi among them, too.
The Indian prime minister has just landed in France, coming from Slovakia, where he met with the country’s prime minister, Robert Fico, yesterday.
The two leaders – and their senior ministers – signed several deals on defence, digital (including AI), higher education, and labour mobility, according to reports in the Slovak media.
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.
France’s Macron is now out of the meeting room again, welcoming the leaders of Egypt, UAE and Qatar to the G7 Summit, as they are expected to join the midday-ish session on the Middle East.
… and given the delay this morning, the meeting may or may not have happened already – guess we will find out at some point during the day.
The key task of this G7 summit is to get Trump on board on Ukraine - analysis
in Évian-les-Bains
I’m just getting on a bus from the media centre to the G7 where UK prime minister Keir Starmer is currently in a working session with Volodymyr Zelenskyy entitled “Building peace and security for Ukraine and for Europe”.
Starmer is due to speak to broadcasters immediately after and then the rest of the UK press pack, including the Guardian.
While Iran, the peace deal and the reopening of the strait of Hormuz are dominating discussions, EU leaders will hope that they can capture Donald Trump’s attention for long enough to speak to him about Ukraine.
US officials have previously said that Trump will not meet the Ukrainian president privately but French president Emmanuel Macron was overheard telling Zelenskyy this morning that he would see what he could do.
As the host of the G7 meeting, Macron invited Zelensky to attend the sidelines of the gathering, hoping his presence could help shore up the group’s support for Ukraine.
A key part of the mission is getting US President Donald Trump on board.
At the Hôtel Royal where the summit is taking place, Macron was overheard 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
As we have no read on what’s happening behind the closed doors, let’s kill some time with a bit of Élyséeology and see what songs the Élysée admins picked for Macron’s handshakes with visiting leaders on the French president’s Instagram.
It’s Tom Petty’s “Love is a long road” for Macron’s meet up with Trump, which includes these fairly telling lines:
“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”
Erm.
For Italy’s Meloni, it’s the classic Felicità – meaning, happiness – by Al Bano and Romina Power, and for Germany’s Merz is Namika’s Lieglingsmensch, my favourite person.
Japan’s Sanae Takaichi gets Nxnja Beats Arigato, so a courteous thank you; Canada’s Mark Carney gets Celine Dion’s classic J’irai où tu iras, or I’ll go where you go.
Britain’s Keir Starmer gets the James Bond treatment with The World is Not Enough by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
And the EU’s Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa get simply a rock version of the Union’s anthem, with the CNK’s L’Hymne a la Joie.
That’s proper music diplomacy. Hats off to the Élysée admins.
Updated
And here is the photo that Germany’s Friedrich Merz so desperately wanted you to see this morning of the moment he gifted Trump a German national team football shirt with his name and the number 47 on it (Trump is the 47th US president).
Trump’s grandfather, Friedrich, was born in Kallstadt, Germany in 1869, theoretically potentially making Trump eligible to play for Germany (quite a long shot, but these days…).
World Cup diplomacy at its most desperate finest.
Updated
G7 start delay shows it's a one man show, really - snap analysis
Guess these extraordinary scenes only show one thing: for all the combined might of the G7, this summit is essentially about managing one man, the US president, Donald Trump and his positions on the issues of the day.
To see other leaders kept waiting for nearly an hour as Macron, Trump, and Zelenskyy were not in the room is very unusual.
And when Trump eventually walks in, Merz almost runs towards him in a hope of getting a nice photo op in early.
Given Trump it’s all not that surprising, but still extraordinary.
Updated
This is utterly bizarre.
EU’s Costa gets another briefing from someone and tells leaders they will be able to start the meeting in five minutes.
Canada’s Carney comes back with “it was five minutes five minutes ago.”
And UK’s Starmer is trying to figure out what’s happening asking if “they” are having a meeting up there.
“The longer it takes, the better,” Carney appears to be saying.
And just like that Macron, Trump and Zelenskyy walk in to join them in the room.
Germany’s Merz rushes straight to Trump to give him a football shirt of the German national team, which he at first seems to be slightly reluctant to accept, but eventually poses with it for photographers.
And they close the doors for the media, with the meeting now finally about to start.
Updated
There appears to be some sort of confusion with an official briefing the leaders on the growing delay and thanking them for their patience.
“We’re optimistic he will come,” Meloni says, looking around, in what looks like her telling EU’s Costa that someone is speaking with Zelenskyy.
Given that we are missing Macron, Trump and Zelenskyy, it doesn’t take a particularly wild guess to figure out what might be happening behind the scenes.
Updated
So what we now have is the leaders of Canada, EU, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK waiting for Trump, Macron and Zelenskyy.
It sounded as if someone, possibly Meloni, was telling some sort of story that involved the White House, but it’s impossible to make out what it was.
G7 leaders arrive for talks on Ukraine
We are now getting live pictures of the leaders arriving (slightly late) for today’s talks, with France’s Emmanuel Macron deep in conversation with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The French president is walking casually, hand in pocket, while Zelenskyy appears to be explaining something.
Some last minute chat on tactics before they meet with Trump, surely?
The other group of 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 – are standing in a circle waiting for others to arrive.
About the only words I can make from their chat is “ChatGPT,” and Meloni mentioning cigarettes, so make of that what you will. More as we get it, I guess.
Morning opening: G7 leaders meet for talks on Ukraine, Middle East
Leaders of Canada, European Union, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States are meeting in Évian-les-Bains in France for talks on Ukraine, the Middle East, and (waves arms) the world on fire.
After last night’s arrivals, it’s time to sit down and talk issues this morning, beginning with Ukraine.
The leaders will be joined by Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as they try to keep US president, Donald Trump, on side amid fears he could be tempted to once again engage with Russia circumventing Europe.
Just as the leaders are 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 leaders will also talk about the Middle East …
… and their relations with rapidly growing economies elsewhere before taking part in a number of bilateral meetings and a formal dinner later tonight.
I will bring you all the key lines here.
It’s Tuesday, 16 June 2026, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.
