G7 unity: Europe yields as Trump declares ‘I’m the boss’

On 15 June, just as the US-Iran ceasefire negotiations were showing glimmers of progress, G7 leaders began their annual summit in Evian, a small town in the French Alps.

In this picturesque spa resort — better known as Evian-les-Bains, the source of the famous mineral water — European leaders have sought to downplay and bridge differences and lingering tensions with US President Donald Trump, in a bid to project a rare sense of transatlantic unity.

Turning up the charm

The G7 summit concluded on 17 June, with leaders for the second consecutive year opting not to issue a joint communique. Instead, they released nine thematic deliverables, a format designed to downplay divisions while still highlighting the summit’s achievements.

Some US media outlets mockingly pointed out that European leaders had unanimously praised the US-Iran ceasefire talks and Trump’s “strong leadership”, in return for which Trump agreed to include in a joint statement a pledge that the G7 would “stand united in our unwavering support” for Ukraine in defending its freedom, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Western media have also been left astonished by the manner in which European leaders have sought to ingratiate themselves with Trump. For instance, on the morning of 16 June, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz presented Trump with a Germany national football team No. 47 shirt bearing his name, as a belated 80th birthday gift. Merz also posted birthday wishes on social media, alongside a message declaring: “After all, we’re on the same team.”

French President Emmanuel Macron, the host, also went to considerable lengths to court the US president, inviting Trump to extend his trip after the G7 summit for a dinner at the Palace of Versailles on the outskirts of Paris, to mark the 250th anniversary of US independence. The gesture ensured Trump’s full participation in the three-day summit; by contrast, at last year’s G7 summit in Canada, he left after just one day.

In fact, Macron used a similar approach during Trump’s first term, when he invited him to watch the Bastille Day parade along the Champs-Élysées in Paris. This year, the task of courting Trump fell to the former palace of the French monarchy, and the gilded splendour of Versailles duly rose to the occasion.

Fragile relations

During this year’s G7 summit, hot-mic moments among the leaders were inadvertently picked up and broadcast, exposing the polite, cautious manner in which European politicians engaged with Trump.

For instance, although Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney struck a confident and tough stance towards the US in his speech at Davos earlier this year, at the G7 summit he leaned in to explain to Trump that Canada’s annual cap on imports of Chinese electric vehicles is 49,000. He told Trump, “I thought you’d actually like that.”

European Council President António Costa joked with Trump during a break in the meetings, “We are friends again.”

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who was with them, replied: “We have always been friends.”

This prompted Trump to complain, “I was abandoned.”

For the US and Europe, both traditionally part of the Western developed world, becoming “friends again” after a series of twists and turns is, from the European perspective, no easy feat.

Not long ago, relations between the two sides were fraught with tension, and the alliance appeared increasingly fragile. Since Trump’s return to the White House, the G7 has found itself either grappling with American tariffs, responding to Trump’s threats to annex Greenland, or enduring lectures and finger-wagging from senior Trump administration officials on issues ranging from European defence spending and immigration to ideology. 

The fact that Western countries have largely stood by while the US and Israel have continued their attacks on Iran has also greatly displeased Trump. Even when US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth travelled to Asia for the Shangri-La Dialogue, he took the chance to use Europe as a negative example, deriding European countries as “protectorates” that moralise while free-riding on security guarantees from others.

Yet the recently concluded G7 summit also underscored another unavoidable reality. Even though European leaders no longer regard the US as an entirely reliable ally and, in some circumstances, view it as a potential threat — one that requires them to prepare for an international order no longer led by Washington — they still have little choice but to remain patient and courteous towards Trump for the time being. 

The reason is simple: Europe’s security and Ukraine’s ability to resist Russia’s invasion continue to depend heavily on American support.

The China factor

Beyond the US, the G7 also harbours deep suspicions about China. Among the nine outcome documents issued by the summit was a declaration on securing supply chains for critical minerals. It pledged to significantly reduce dependencies on a single supplier outside the G7 and partner countries for rare earths and permanent magnets to under 60% by 2030 and continuing to decrease further over time. The declaration also stated that members “stand ready to take actions, where necessary in a coordinated manner, against economic coercion”. Although China was not mentioned by name, the language was clearly directed at Beijing.

The G7 includes Japan and Canada, while most of its remaining members are European countries. Recently, Europe’s trade relations with China have become increasingly strained, with the risk of a trade war looming. Ahead of the summit, Macron criticised China as a principal source of global trade imbalances. Yet when it comes to negotiating trade disputes with Beijing, Europe can hardly count on assistance from the US. Ironically, at a press conference during the G7 summit, Trump specifically thanked both China and Russia for being “neutral” during the US-Iran conflict.

Despite Trump’s indifference towards allies and his often unpredictable behaviour, the G7 has little option but to do everything possible to avoid a public rift with the US, even allowing Trump to proclaim at the summit: “I’m the boss.” 

The underlying reason is that, when it comes to preserving the existing international order, Europe sees no viable alternative to relying on the US. This is not merely Europe’s predicament; it is also a source of anxiety for many other countries around the world.

This article was first published in Lianhe Zaobao as “美欧在G7峰会上“重新为友”貌合神不合”.

Related: Buying time: Germany between a changed US and rising China | China’s diplomatic blitz in Trump’s backyard — who will dominate the western hemisphere?