Abandoned cigarettes, a forgotten watch, Chinese electric vehicles, and an unexpected mention of Greenland: the open microphones of the G7 in Évian-les-Bains captured, in recent hours, the more informal side of the world's most powerful leaders, in striking contrast to the seriousness of the official agenda of the summit held in France from June 15 to 17.
The host French broadcaster installed 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 talking about personal habits, making jokes about lost items, and commenting on football.
Meloni quits smoking and her colleagues take note
One of the most discussed moments involved the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
The 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 series of reactions. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney responded 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 getting ready for the official photo, Meloni greeted Modi with a phrase that was picked up by the microphones: "Nice 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 level that, during a recent visit by Modi to Rome, the Indian leader gifted Meloni a package of Melody candies, as a nod to the phenomenon that has generated countless memes and posts online.
The brief dialogue at the summit quickly went viral and once again placed both leaders among the most talked-about figures outside of the official sessions.
Trump, Greenland, and Macron's watch
Another fragment captured by the microphones immediately ignited the political debate.
At one point during the summit, Donald Trump turned to Costa with a terse phrase: “Do you understand? Greenland.”
The exact context was not clear in the recording, but it was enough to reignite speculation about the American president's ambitions regarding the Danish autonomous territory.
After the working lunch, it was Carney who starred in another informal moment by pointing out that French President Emmanuel Macron had left his watch on the table.
Trump's response came quickly: "Give it to me if he left it, give it to me," he joked, triggering laughter among those present.
Chinese electric vehicles and an agreement that Trump approves
The microphones also captured a deeper exchange between Carney and Trump regarding the trade of Chinese electric vehicles, according to CBC.
The Canadian Prime Minister explained that Canada's agreement with China accounts for less than 3% of its electric vehicle market, while the country maintains a general tariff of 100% on this type of vehicle.
"I thought you would like it," Carney said to him. Trump's response was concise: "Okay, I like it."
And once again, Meloni
Although it wasn't related to audio leaks, Meloni was involved in two other viral moments concerning visuals: one was her reaction to an unexpected moment when she leaned in 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 insisted.
Particularly notable was the body language of the Italian Prime Minister during one moment when she attempted to get closer to the U.S. President.
An informal pause waiting for its moment, which ended in laughter just a few seconds later, when they 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 the idea of "bombing Russia."
In 2012, Barack Obama was caught promising then-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev "more flexibility" regarding missile defense after the elections.
On one occasion, it was Joe Biden who went viral for a crude remark moments before signing the Affordable Care Act.
The Évian summit took place alongside high-stakes negotiations: Trump met bilaterally with Zelenski on Monday, and the same day he spoke on the phone with Putin, agreeing to resume discussions on ending military operations in Ukraine.
Trump arrived at the meeting backed by a memorandum of understanding with Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, with the formal signing scheduled in Geneva on June 19.
The open microphones in Évian served as a reminder that, among discussions of wars and nuclear agreements, world leaders also talk about nicotine patches and forgotten watches.
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