Donald Trump starred in one of the most talked-about moments of the G7 summit this Wednesday when he arrived late to the closing working session in Évian-les-Bains, France, and wryly declared to his already-seated counterparts: “I’m the boss”.
The American president entered the Royal Hotel in Évian—the venue for the summit—while most of the leaders of the group had already been waiting for some time, a pattern that repeats itself at every multilateral meeting he leads. According to El Periódico, he stated this with a serious expression despite the apparent mocking tone, and immediately afterward complained about the heat in the room.
Before the press was escorted out, as per protocol in these meetings where cameramen can only record the first few minutes, Trump also threw them a joke: "Do you want to stay in the meeting? It's no problem for me."
After the exchange, the leader took a seat to the right of the French president Emmanuel Macron, the host of the summit, in the same position he had occupied during the previous days.
The session, which started an hour late, focused on the pursuit of "balanced economic growth." Joining the table were the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Kristalina Georgieva, and the Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Mathias Cormann.
But Trump's relaxed tone in that room contrasted with the geopolitical weight of the three-day summit. The significant backdrop was the preliminary agreement reached with Iran days prior, in which Tehran committed to not developing nuclear weapons and the Strait of Hormuz was reopened.
Trump had warned that if Iran attempted to breach that commitment, "all hell would rain down on them". However, the final terms remain open: Washington demands a 20-year moratorium on uranium enrichment, while Tehran proposes a period of between five and 15 years.
The other major topic was Ukraine. On Tuesday, Trump held a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, accompanied by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Zelensky outlined three priorities: more air defense missiles with production licenses, a support package for the winter, and increased pressure on Russia. Trump described the meeting as a "very good conversation" and expressed hope for progress towards peace.
The G7 also agreed to strengthen sanctions on Russian oil and gas, with specific measures against the so-called "phantom fleet" of ships that evade existing restrictions, announced by the United Kingdom and Canada. The European Union, for its part, committed an additional loan of 90 billion euros for Kyiv.
The week also had a personal element for Trump: on June 14, he turned 80 years old, and among the congratulatory calls he received one from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who took the opportunity to discuss the conflict in Ukraine.
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