Seven wealthy democracies — the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada, and the United Kingdom — met in a French spa town on June 15, 2026 for their annual G7 summit. Before the first meeting even started, a bombshell disrupted everything: the U.S. and Iran had just announced a deal. Reuters reported the announcement came right before the summit opened, throwing the planned agenda into chaos. Leaders had expected to discuss trade, weapons, and technology. Now they had to deal with something none of them had fully agreed on beforehand.

The summit took place in Évian-les-Bains, a quiet town on a lake near the Swiss border. France chose this location deliberately — it last hosted a similar summit in 2003, back when Russia was part of the group. Russia was kicked out after it invaded part of Ukraine in 2014, so now there are only seven countries at the table. France's president, Emmanuel Macron, is chairing these meetings, just as he did back in 2019. This time, France invited some Middle Eastern countries to attend as guests, a signal that it wanted to bring more nations into the conversation about Iran and energy security. Reuters noted France's effort to make the U.S. comfortable during the summit.

Getting Ready

France officially started leading the G7 in January 2026. Finance Minister Roland Lescure held the first meeting of finance ministers on January 27 to begin talking about money and trade issues. Just four days before the summit, on June 11, Macron held a video call with all the other leaders to prepare them for the in-person gathering — a common practice for settling disputes privately before the cameras show up.

The U.S. delegation got special attention from France: Reuters reported that France made efforts to keep President Trump happy throughout the summit, trying to hold the group together despite tension between nations.

The Iran Problem

The U.S.-Iran agreement is the biggest surprise on the agenda. Nobody knows all the details yet, but the timing is awkward — the announcement came while leaders were flying to the summit. That matters because the G7 members don't all agree on Iran. Some kept talking to Iran under a nuclear deal signed in 2015, even after the U.S. left it in 2018. Now the U.S. has made a separate deal with Iran without asking the others, which could split the group if they're not careful.

France also invited countries from the Middle East to attend. Those nations care deeply about Iran — it's their neighbor and potential rival — so their presence gives Macron a way to connect the G7 to the wider region.

What's really happening here is that countries are making two-person deals faster than the G7 can all agree on anything together. That puts pressure on whether the G7 still matters.

Everything Else on the Table

Ukraine is still on the agenda, though everyone's now distracted by Iran. The leaders also planned to discuss trade and money. The U.S. has been charging tariffs on goods from other countries, which upset the group and made it hard to agree on anything.

They also want to talk about rare materials — like lithium and cobalt — that go into phone batteries and electric cars. Shortages during the pandemic showed how dependent rich countries are on buying these materials from poorer ones, often in places far away. Securing these supplies is now a priority, though it's not an emergency the way a war is.

Tech companies were invited to discuss artificial intelligence and keeping people safe online. Some people question whether this is fair, since the biggest companies get a seat at the table while smaller firms and public interest groups don't.

What's Happening Outside

Protesters gathered in Évian-les-Bains on June 16, opposed to what they see as corporate influence on global politics. Reuters covered the demonstrations. The town's small size and location made it easier to control security than at other mountain summits. The summit ends June 17.

The real question is whether the G7 can still do its job. Countries now make deals one-on-one faster than this group of seven can agree on anything. The way Macron writes the final statement will show whether the G7 still has real power in 2026.