G7 countries to boost Ukraine air defense, impose sanctions against Russia - Zelenskyy
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the G7 summit in France, June 16, 2026 (Photo: REUTERS/Denis Balibouse)
At the summit in France, G7 leaders have agreed to boost Ukraine’s air defenses and take new steps to ramp up pressure on Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on June 17.
He stated that the summit has yielded “important results” for Ukraine.
“Most crucial, we agreed to further strengthen Ukraine's air defenses,” Zelenskyy said.
“New steps will be taken to ramp up pressure on Russia over the war, and to pressure it into peace. Our partners will maintain support for our defense and energy resilience.”
He added that Ukraine and the G7 share a mutual understanding of core challenges and a "global unity" that limits Russia’s ability to sustain its war effort.
The G7 summit in France
The Group of Seven (G7) summit commenced on June 15 in the French resort town of Evian-les-Bains, chaired by Emmanuel Macron. The summit has been extended to June 17.
On June 16, Zelenskyy held closed-door talks with U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the summit. The American president called the meeting – their first in four months – “very good”.
Zelenskyy expressed hope that he will meet again with Trump on June 17.
Politico reported on June 16 that the U.S. President appeared conciliatory behind closed doors, seeking European support for the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for making concessions on Ukraine. The U.S. President surprised summit participants by announcing that the U.S. will impose new sanctions against the Russian oil industry.
In a final statement, G7 leaders agreed to impose new sanctions against Russia and accelerate the delivery of air defense systems to Ukraine.
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