Abandoned cigarettes, a forgotten watch, Chinese electric vehicles, and an unexpected mention of Greenland: the open microphones of the G7 in Évian-les-Bains recently captured the more informal side of the world's most powerful leaders, presenting a stark contrast to the seriousness of the official agenda of the summit held in France from June 15 to 17.
The French host broadcaster set up microphones in meeting rooms and transit areas of the alpine resort, recording private exchanges between leaders that quickly went viral.
Far from revealing state secrets, the recordings showed the leaders of the Group of Seven discussing personal habits, joking about lost items, and making comments about soccer.
Meloni quits smoking and her colleagues take note
One of the most talked-about moments involved Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz directly asked her if she had smoked a cigarette that morning, to which she responded that she hadn't lit one since the first of May.
The revelation sparked a chain of reactions. The Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney intervened with humor: "Are you wearing patches?" he asked, according to PBS NewsHour.
The President of the European Council, António Costa, took the opportunity to reveal that he himself quit smoking in 2005.
"We are the most famous couple on Instagram": Meloni's comment to the Prime Minister of India
Another moment that captured attention during the summit was the exchange between Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
While the leaders were preparing for the official photo, Meloni greeted Modi with a phrase that was picked up by the microphones: "Delighted to see you again. We are the most famous couple on Instagram."
The comment referred to the viral phenomenon "Melodi," which emerged from the combination of the last names of both leaders and has become a trend on social media since Meloni posted a selfie with Modi during COP28 in Dubai in 2023.
The popularity of that nickname has reached such a point that, during a recent visit by Modi to Rome, the Indian leader gifted Meloni a package of Melody candies, in a nod to the phenomenon that has generated countless memes and posts online.
The brief dialogue at the summit went viral quickly and once again placed both leaders among the most talked-about figures outside of the official sessions.
Trump, Greenland, and Macron's clock
Another fragment captured by the microphones immediately sparked political debate.
At one point during the summit, Donald Trump turned to Costa with a brief phrase: “Do you understand? Greenland.”
The exact context was not clear in the recording, but it was enough to rekindle speculation about the American president's ambitions regarding the Danish autonomous territory.
After the working lunch, it was Carney who had another light-hearted moment when he pointed out that French President Emmanuel Macron had forgotten his watch on the table.
Trump's response came quickly: "Give it to me if he left it, give it to me," he joked, eliciting laughter from those present.
Chinese electric vehicles and an agreement approved by Trump
The microphones also picked up a more in-depth exchange between Carney and Trump regarding the trade of Chinese electric vehicles, as reported by CBC.
The Canadian Prime Minister explained that the agreement between Canada and China represents less than 3% of its electric car market, while the country maintains a general tariff of 100% on such vehicles.
"I thought you would like it," Carney told him. Trump's response was succinct: "It's good, I like it."
And once again, Meloni
Although it wasn't related to audio leaks... Meloni had two other viral moments in terms of visuals: one was her reaction to an unexpected moment when she crossed paths for a kiss with Zelensky.
The other was his recurring desire to "make peace" with Trump. Although it doesn't seem he succeeded at first, he persisted.
Particularly noteworthy was the body language of the Italian Prime Minister during one of the moments when she tried to approach the American president.
An informal pause waiting for its moment, which ended in laughter just a few seconds later when he finally managed to join the conversation.
A tradition of indiscreet microphones
Open mic moments have a long history in international diplomacy.
In 1984, Ronald Reagan joked during a sound check about "bombing Russia."
In 2012, Barack Obama was caught promising then-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev "more flexibility" on missile defense after the elections.
On one occasion, it was Joe Biden who went viral for a vulgar expression just moments before the signing of the Affordable Care Act.
The Évian summit took place alongside high-stakes negotiations: Trump held a bilateral meeting with Zelenski on Monday, and on the same day spoke on the phone with Putin, agreeing to resume discussions on ending military operations in Ukraine.
Trump arrived at the meeting also supported by a memorandum of understanding with Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, with the formal signing scheduled for June 19 in Geneva.
The open microphones of Évian served as a reminder that, amidst discussions of wars and nuclear agreements, world leaders also talk about nicotine patches and forgotten watches.
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