By Xinhua News Agency
The three-day Group of Seven G7 summit concluded Wednesday in Evian, France, amid visible divisions among member states, as leaders struggled to bridge differences on major international and economic issues.
Although the summit produced a series of thematic outcomes, it once again failed to deliver a unified final communique, highlighting growing challenges to consensus-building within the bloc.
FRACTURED UNITY
Chaired by France, the G7 summit concluded without issuing a final communique, marking the second consecutive year that the bloc has failed to produce a unified closing document, following a similar outcome under Canada’s chairmanship in 2025.
Instead, nine thematic deliverables were released, covering areas such as geopolitics, the global economy and public health. Summit organizers had already abandoned the idea of a final communique during the preparatory phase, opting instead to publish thematic documents to mask differences between the United States and its allies, Kyodo News reported, citing diplomatic sources.
French President Emmanuel Macron described the summit as “objectively a success,” while acknowledging persistent differences between the United States and the other six members on issues such as climate change and the United Nations.
Tensions between the United States and its allies were evident even before the summit began. U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday threatened tariffs of up to 100 percent on French wine, demanding that France scrap its digital services tax targeting American technology companies. Macron rejected the demand, stressing that such taxation falls within Europe’s legal framework. “Partners should never impose tariffs on one another or create instability,” he said.
Differences also surfaced in the security domain. Disagreements persisted over how to respond to tensions in the Strait of Hormuz. While European countries signaled willingness to participate in maritime escort operations, Trump argued that restoring navigation would not require external involvement.
According to news outlet Politico, European leaders sought to avoid a direct confrontation with Trump at the summit, particularly as he shifted focus from the Iran crisis back to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Officials fear that, no longer constrained by Middle East tensions, Trump could attempt to reassert control over Ukraine peace efforts, sideline European diplomacy, and undermine their strategy of maintaining maximum pressure on Russia while supporting Ukraine.
Divisions extended into the technological sphere. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney warned ahead of the summit that excessive reliance on U.S. AI models poses strategic risks. Macron criticized Washington’s restrictions on access to cutting-edge AI technologies, calling the move “a bad thing” and warning it reflected an overly “nationalist” approach. Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced plans to ban social media use for individuals under 16, a move CNN described as “sure to infuriate Trump’s tech oligarch allies.”
UNCERTAIN PARTNER
Analysts increasingly view the United States as the principal source of uncertainty within the G7.
The strains have become particularly evident amid the fallout from the Middle East conflict. The war has disrupted global energy markets, exacerbating inflationary pressures worldwide. While the United States has absorbed some economic impact, the consequences have been far more severe for countries heavily dependent on the Strait of Hormuz.
European allies are eager to see the waterway fully reopened and shipping volumes return to pre-war levels. However, experts note that clearing naval mines laid by Iran following U.S.-Israeli strikes in February will take time, delaying full normalization.
European leaders have sought to keep Trump engaged in the G7 process despite growing divergence. Trump, who left last year’s summit in Canada early, has long displayed limited enthusiasm for the grouping. CNN noted that he “seemed a little bored” as Macron outlined this year’s summit objectives. In an apparent effort to avoid another premature departure, Macron arranged a lavish dinner for Trump at the Palace of Versailles following the summit.
However, French newspaper La Tribune criticized Macron for prioritizing Trump’s presence, even at the expense of removing climate and gender-related issues from the agenda.
“What we are increasingly seeing is Europeans beginning to think about a life with less America,” said Victor Cha, head of geopolitics and foreign policy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
A recent survey published by the European Council on Foreign Relations highlights a sharp shift in public opinion: only 11 percent of Europeans now view the United States as an ally, down from 16 percent six months ago and 22 percent in November 2024. Nearly half of respondents regard the United States as merely a “necessary partner,” while around a quarter see it as a rival, reflecting a significant erosion of trust in transatlantic relations.
Sebastien Jean, a member of the French Council of Economic Analysis, argued that Trump has become the greatest challenge facing the G7, raising doubts about whether member states can still engage with one another as genuine allies.
DIMINISHING GLOBAL RELEVANCE
The G7’s internal divisions point to a deeper structural issue: its declining capacity to represent and manage global affairs in an increasingly multipolar world.
Founded half a century ago, the grouping once served as a central platform for coordinating economic and geopolitical policies among advanced economies. However, its cohesion has weakened significantly in recent years.
Economist Christian de Boissieu argued that with the rise of emerging economies such as the BRICS countries, the G7 no longer adequately represents the global economy. Without broader participation, it is increasingly difficult to address major global challenges effectively.
Sebastien Jean further noted that while the G7 once styled itself as the “steering committee” of the global economy and financial system, it can no longer credibly claim that role.
Jian Junbo, director of the Center for China-Europe Relations at Fudan University, said that on issues ranging from global economic governance and supply chain stability to climate change, security and development, the G7 alone is increasingly unable to deliver effective solutions.
Although the bloc has recognized its limitations and sought broader participation, it remains reluctant to genuinely share its leadership with non-Western countries on an equal footing, he added.
This lack of representativeness is also reflected in its agenda-setting. La Tribune observed that although France placed “reducing global economic imbalances” on the summit agenda, it overlooked other critical issues, including extreme wealth concentration and outdated international tax systems.
Similarly, Swiss outlet Beobachter argued that the G7 no longer reflects today’s geopolitical realities, criticizing the removal of climate change from the agenda to accommodate the United States as a “major omission.”