US President Donald Trump has said Russia should make a peace deal with Ukraine and he will do what he can to end the war, following a “very good” meeting between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and G7 leaders at a summit in France.

“I’m gonna do whatever I can,” Trump told reporters on Tuesday at the summit in Evian-les-Bains near the Swiss border, adding that too many young men were dying on the battlefield on both sides.

“Look, Russia should make a deal,” he said. “I settled eight wars. This was the one I thought was going to be the easiest to settle.” Trump’s claim to have ended eight wars has been widely disputed.

Zelenskyy joined talks on Tuesday morning with the G7, which includes the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan and the European Union. He also spoke to Trump and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the summit.

“The key focus is to strengthen air defence for Ukraine and advance diplomacy, to make Russia end its war,” Zelenskyy posted on X after the meeting. “Peace is needed.”

Zelenskyy said he had received important commitments from the G7. “More air defence missiles along with licenses to produce them, winter support package, and cranking up pressure on Russia. Importantly, the US is ready to provide backstop across these lines of effort,” he wrote.

“It is key that everything discussed be implemented. Russia must come to learn that its war will never be normalised. I thank everyone who’s helping.”

European diplomats said the tone of the meeting had been constructive.

“The tide is turning for Ukraine. The situation in 2026 is very different from 2025. Ukraine is bravely holding the frontline,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen posted on X. “Russia’s fatigue is openly showing. That’s the time to double down on ⁠our support.”

Focus on Strait of Hormuz

G7 leaders also discussed the peace deal between the US and Iran, and held a working lunch focusing on achieving a swift reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and on identifying alternative energy routes that bypass the waterway.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who is hosting the summit, said the priority was to ensure that there is a “solid, serious agreement that is finalised”.

Macron said France and other Western partners are “ready to take action very quickly” to help reopen the strait peacefully. France and the UK have championed a mission to restore maritime security in the strait as soon as conditions allow.

Trump has said the Strait of Hormuz would be “completely open” on Friday, which is when a formal agreement will be signed in Geneva.

The agreement, which was digitally signed on Monday, is expected to open a 60-day window to allow for complex negotiations to take place, which would include Iran’s highly enriched uranium and the lifting of sanctions.

Trump told reporters he expects the second stage of negotiations with Iran to “be actually easier”. (Al Jazeera)

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