Ukraine’s Zelenskiy seeks G7 support as Trump’s early exit dampens summit
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Exclusive: Trump administration disbands group focused on pressuring Russia, sources say
The working group was formed in March or April at a time when advisers were growing skeptical of the Kremlin’s willingness to reach a deal. The effort, which was established earlier in the spring, lost steam in May as it became increasingly clear to participants that U.S. President Donald Trump was not interested in adopting a more confrontational stance toward Moscow. The death of the working group, the existence of which has not been previously reported, is likely to deepen European allies’ concerns over Trump’s at-times conciliatory tone toward Russia. Most members of the White House National Security Council – including the entire team dealing directly with the Ukraine war – were dismissed as part of a broad purge, according to the three officials. It is unclear precisely who gave the order to discontinue the effort, but the officials suggested the depth of the NSC cuts made its continuation largely untenable. The White House did not respond to a request for comment, nor did the Treasury Department, the State Department or the Defense Department.
Item 1 of 3 Rescuers carry a body at the site of an apartment building damaged during a Russian strike, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine June 17, 2025. REUTERS/Anatolii Stepanov
Summary Trump administration ended working group to cajole Kremlin into peace deal, sources say
Group discussed various policy options related to Central Asia, eastern Europe
U.S. allies doubt Trump ready to turn up pressure on Putin
WASHINGTON, June 17 (Reuters) – The Trump administration shelved in recent weeks an inter-agency working group it had set up to formulate strategies for pressuring Russia into speeding up peace talks with Ukraine, according to three U.S. officials.
The effort, which was established earlier in the spring, lost steam in May as it became increasingly clear to participants that U.S. President Donald Trump was not interested in adopting a more confrontational stance toward Moscow, said the officials.
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Despite pledging during his campaign to end the war in Ukraine on the first day of his presidency, Trump in recent months has grown increasingly frustrated that his push has yielded no breakthroughs. He has begun saying that the United States may abandon its efforts to broker peace altogether.
In light of that threat, the working group’s task seemed increasingly irrelevant, added those officials, who requested anonymity to describe sensitive internal discussions.
“It lost steam toward the end because the president wasn’t there. Instead of doing more, maybe he wanted to do less,” one of the officials said.
The death of the working group, the existence of which has not been previously reported, is likely to deepen European allies’ concerns over Trump’s at-times conciliatory tone toward Russia and his reluctance to express full-throated support for Ukraine ahead of a pivotal summit of NATO allies later this month.
On the first day of a meeting of Group of Seven leaders in Canada on Monday, the Republican president said removing Russia from the former Group of Eight over a decade ago had been a mistake.
The final blow for the working group came roughly three weeks ago, when most members of the White House National Security Council – including the entire team dealing directly with the Ukraine war were dismissed as part of a broad purge, according to the three officials.
The effort was set up and coordinated by high-ranking NSC staffers, the officials said, though it included participants from the State Department, Treasury Department, the Pentagon and intelligence community. Among those working on the effort was Andrew Peek, the top NSC official for Europe and Russia, who was removed in May.
It is unclear precisely who gave the order to discontinue the effort, but the officials suggested the depth of the NSC cuts made its continuation largely untenable.
The dissolution of the group also follows a March suspension of work by some U.S. national security agencies on a coordinated effort to counter Russian sabotage and disinformation operations, Reuters reported at the time.
Nevertheless, Trump could choose to adopt a firmer stance toward Russia regardless of the fate of the working group, which was set up to develop options for the president “if he wanted to get tougher on Russia,” one of the officials said.
Some Trump allies, including Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, have publicly advocated for an expansive new round of sanctions directed at Russia, citing Moscow’s effective rejection of U.S. ceasefire proposals and the Kremlin’s continual attacks on civilian targets as proof of Putin’s recalcitrance.
Trump has said he is considering such measures, but he has also regularly faulted both sides for the ongoing hostilities.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment, nor did the Treasury Department, the State Department or the Pentagon.
The Ukrainian and Russian embassies in Washington also did not respond to requests for comment.
“DEEP FRUSTRATION”
The working group was formed in March or April at a time when some close Trump advisers were growing increasingly skeptical of the Kremlin’s willingness to reach a deal, while Trump’s rhetoric suggested he might be interested in modifying his accommodating stance toward Putin.
In an interview with NBC News in late March, he said he was “very angry” and “pissed off” at the Russian leader for raising questions about the legitimacy of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
NSC spokesman James Hewitt said in an April 1 statement to Reuters that there was a “deep frustration with the Russian government over negotiations.”
Among the topics discussed within the working group was how the U.S. could incentivize or pressure former Soviet states, as well as other Eastern European and Asian nations, to limit the flow of goods and energy into and out of Russia, said the officials.
It is unclear if Trump was aware of the working group’s formation or subsequent dissolution.
The NSC removals left few high-ranking people on the Russia file, complicating the prospects for any robust inter-agency debate on the topic.
While reluctant to discuss the details of the options drawn up by the group due to the sensitive nature of the work, U.S. officials said the group was still brainstorming ideas when it was dissolved. The group’s work was unrelated to the Russia sanctions package in the U.S. Senate.
Ideas ranged from tailored economic deals designed to peel some countries out of Russia’s geopolitical orbit to covert special operations efforts, the officials said.
One official mentioned the possibility of creating an incentive structure to push Kazakhstan to more vigorously crack down on sanctions evasion. The country, like other post-Soviet states, has been used by traders to bypass some Western-imposed import restrictions on Russia since Moscow’s expanded invasion began in 2022.
The Kazakhstani embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment.
Reporting by Gram Slattery; Additional reporting by Idrees Ali and David Lawder; Editing by Humeyra Pamuk and Deepa Babington
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Ukraine’s Zelenskiy seeks G7 support as Trump’s early exit dampens summit
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy arrived in Canada on Tuesday to urge the Group of Seven to provide more backing for the war against Russia. U.S. President Donald Trump left the summit early due to developments in the Middle East. The G7 group of wealthy nations has struggled to find unity over conflicts in Ukraine and the Mideast. Trump has expressed support for Russian President Vladimir Putin and has imposed tariffs on many of the allies present at the G7 summit in Canada. He agreed to a group statement calling for a resolution of the Israel-Iran conflict. The Kremlin said on Tuesday that Trump was right and said the G Seven was no longer significant for Russia and looked “rather useless” The statement said Iran is the principal source of regional instability and terror and that Israel has the right to defend itself. He later said his early departure had “nothing to do with” working on a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, however.
KANANASKIS, Alberta -Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy arrived in Canada on Tuesday to urge the Group of Seven to provide more backing for the war against Russia even after U.S. President Donald Trump left the summit early due to developments in the Middle East.
The G7 group of wealthy nations has struggled to find unity over conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East as Trump has expressed support for Russian President Vladimir Putin and has imposed tariffs on many of the allies present.
Zelenskiy started his day by meeting Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who said Ottawa would provide C$2 billion in new military assistance for Kyiv as well as impose new financial sanctions.
A Russian attack overnight on Kyiv that killed 12 people “underscores the importance of standing in total solidarity with Ukraine,” he said.
Carney said when G7 leaders met for dinner on Monday, they stressed the importance of using “maximum pressure against Russia” to force it to start serious peace talks.
“We are ready for the peace negotiations, unconditional ceasefire – I think it’s very important. But for this, we need pressure,” Zelenskiy replied.
When the summit ends later on Tuesday, Carney plans to issue a statement calling for more pressure on Russia through sanctions and saying the G7 backs U.S.-led peace efforts, a G7 source said.
Although Canada is one of Ukraine’s most vocal defenders, its ability to help Kyiv is far outweighed by the United States, the largest arms supplier. Zelenskiy had said he hoped to talk to Trump about acquiring more weapons.
Trump said on Monday he needed to be back in Washington as soon as possible due to the situation in the Middle East, where escalating attacks between Iran and Israel have raised risks of a broader regional conflict.
He later said his early departure from the summit had “nothing to do with” working on a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, however, denying comments by French President Emmanuel Macron, who had said the U.S. president leaving could be a sign of a potential deal.
A European Union diplomat said all remaining G7 members wanted to stay to meet Zelenskiy and continue conversations.
Trump agreed to a group statement calling for a resolution of the Israel-Iran conflict.
“We urge that the resolution of the Iranian crisis leads to a broader de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza,” the statement said.
The statement said Iran is the principal source of regional instability and terror and that Israel has the right to defend itself.
Last week, Zelenskiy said he planned to discuss continued support for Ukraine, sanctions against Russia, and future financing for Kyiv’s reconstruction efforts.
“Our conviction is that if we want to move towards peace, we must indeed demonstrate our resolve together and our ability to go much further with sanctions,” French President Emmanuel Macron said late on Monday.
A European official said after the talks with Trump on Monday that there was broad agreement among G7 countries, including the United States, to do more to pressure Russia into a ceasefire, but acknowledged the idea of lowering the Russia oil price cap had been shelved given a spike in prices.
Trump said on Monday that the then Group of Eight had been wrong to expel Russia after Putin ordered the occupation of Crimea in 2014.
The Kremlin said on Tuesday that Trump was right and said the G7 was no longer significant for Russia and looked “rather useless.”
G7 leaders prepared several draft documents seen by Reuters, including on migration, artificial intelligence, and critical minerals. None of them have been approved by the United States, according to sources briefed on the documents.
Without Trump, it is unclear if there will be any declarations, a European diplomat said.
Carney also invited non-G7 members Mexico, India, Australia, South Africa, South Korea and Brazil, as he tries to shore up alliances elsewhere and diversify Canada’s exports away from the United States.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Ukraine’s Zelenskiy seeks G7 support as leaders carry on without Trump
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy arrived in Canada on Tuesday to urge the Group of Seven to provide more backing for the war against Russia. U.S. President Donald Trump left the summit early due to developments in the Middle East. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Ottawa would provide C$2 billion ($1.47 billion) in new military assistance for Kyiv as well as impose new financial sanctions. G7 chair plans to issue statement calling for more pressure on Russia through sanctions and saying the G7 backs U.N.-led peace efforts. The G7 wealthy nations struggled to find unity over the conflict in Ukraine as Trump expressed support for Russian President Vladimir Putin and has imposed tariffs on many of the allies present. The summit ends later on Tuesday, and the leaders are expected to sign off on a joint statement on the situation in the region, including a statement on Iran and Israel’s role in the Mideast conflict. The statement is expected to include a call for a resolution of the Iran-Israel conflict.
Item 1 of 13 Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy walk as they attend the G7 Leaders’ Summit in Kananaskis, in Alberta, Canada, June 17, 2025. REUTERS/Amber Bracken
Summary Zelenskiy arrives at G7, Canada commits more aid
Trump left to deal with tense Middle East situation
G7 chair plans to issue statement calling for more pressure on Russia, sources say
Carney invites non-G7 nations to diversify alliances, exports
KANANASKIS, Alberta, June 17 (Reuters) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy arrived in Canada on Tuesday to urge the Group of Seven to provide more backing for the war against Russia even after U.S. President Donald Trump left the summit early due to developments in the Middle East.
The G7 wealthy nations struggled to find unity over the conflict in Ukraine as Trump expressed support for Russian President Vladimir Putin and has imposed tariffs on many of the allies present.
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Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Ottawa would provide C$2 billion ($1.47 billion) in new military assistance for Kyiv as well as impose new financial sanctions.
Russian attack overnight on Kyiv and other cities that killed at least 16 people “underscores the importance of standing in total solidarity with Ukraine,” Carney said.
Carney said when G7 leaders met for dinner on Monday before Trump left, they stressed the importance of using “maximum pressure against Russia” to force it to start serious peace talks.
“We are ready for the peace negotiations, unconditional ceasefire – I think it’s very important. But for this, we need pressure,” Zelenskiy replied.
When the summit ends later on Tuesday, Carney plans to issue a chair statement calling for more pressure on Russia through sanctions and saying the G7 backs U.S.-led peace efforts, two G7 sources said.
Canada holds the rotating G7 presidency this year. Other leaders do not need to sign off on G7 chair statements.
A European official said leaders had stressed to Trump their plans to be hard on Russia and Trump seemed impressed, though he does not like sanctions in principle.
Three European diplomats said they had heard signals from Trump that he wanted to raise pressure on Putin and consider a U.S. Senate bill drafted by Senator Lindsey Graham, but that he had not committed to anything.
“We’ve discussed, actually yesterday evening, the sanctions also to put more pressure on Putin to come to the negotiation table with a serious intent to move forward towards a just and lasting peace,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told reporters.
She added that given the rise in oil prices there was no pressure for now to reduce a cap on Russian oil prices further. G7 countries and the EU imposed the $60 cap on Russian oil in 2022, restricting access to Western shipping and insurance services for above-cap purchases to curb Moscow’s revenue.
In addition to the chair’s statement on Russia, G7 leaders had prepared several draft documents seen by Reuters, including on migration , artificial intelligence, and critical minerals . All G7 members, including the United States, have agreed to six leaders’ statements, according to two sources.
KREMLIN SAYS G7 LOOKS ‘RATHER USELESS’
Although Canada is one of Ukraine’s most vocal defenders, its ability to help Kyiv is far outweighed by the United States, the largest arms supplier. Zelenskiy had said he hoped to talk to Trump about acquiring more weapons.
Trump said on Monday he needed to be back in Washington as soon as possible due to the situation in the Middle East, where escalating attacks between Iran and Israel have raised risks of a broader regional conflict.
He later said his early departure from the summit had “nothing to do with” working on a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, however, denying comments by French President Emmanuel Macron, who had said the U.S. president leaving could be a sign of a potential deal.
A White House official said Trump explained that he returned to the U.S. because it is better to hold high-level National Security Council meetings in person, rather than over the phone.
Trump did agree to a group statement published on Monday calling for a resolution of the Israel-Iran conflict.
The statement said Iran is the principal source of regional instability and terror and that Israel has the right to defend itself.
Trump said on Monday that the then Group of Eight had been wrong to expel Russia after Putin ordered the occupation of Crimea in 2014.
The Kremlin said on Tuesday that Trump was right and said the G7 was no longer significant for Russia and looked “rather useless.”
Carney also invited non-G7 members Mexico, India, Australia, South Africa, South Korea and Brazil, as he tries to shore up alliances elsewhere and diversify Canada’s exports away from the United States.
($1 = 1.3589 Canadian dollars)
Additional reporting by Andrea Shalal in Washington; Editing by Caroline Stauffer, Shri Navaratnam, Rosalba O’Brien and Rod Nickel
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Kremlin calls G7 ‘useless’, agrees with Trump that kicking out Russia was a mistake
Kremlin says U.S. President Donald Trump was right to assert that it had been a big mistake to expel Russia from the Group of Eight in 2014. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the G7 had “lost practical significance” for Russia. Trump said at a Group of Seven summit in Canada on Monday that the G8 had been wrong to kick out Russia in 2014 after it annexed Crimea from Ukraine.
MOSCOW, June 17 (Reuters) – The Kremlin said on Tuesday that U.S. President Donald Trump was right to assert that it had been a big mistake to expel Russia from the Group of Eight in 2014, but that the G7 was no longer significant for Russia and looked “rather useless” now.
Trump said at a Group of Seven summit in Canada on Monday that the G8 had been wrong to kick out Russia in 2014 after it annexed Crimea from Ukraine.
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“This was a big mistake,” Trump said, adding he believed Russia would not have invaded Ukraine in 2022 had President Vladimir Putin not been ejected from the leaders’ club. He said Putin “basically doesn’t even speak to the people that threw him out, and I agree with him”.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters: “We agree with President Trump: it was a big mistake then to exclude Russia from the G8 format.”
He said the G7 had “lost practical significance” for Russia, given the state of world affairs.
“Given the declining share of the G7 countries in the global economy, given all the trends that are observed in the G7 countries and, of course, against the background of, for example, such formats as the G20, the G7 looks dull and rather useless,” Peskov said.
Reporting by Dmitry Antonov, Writing by Felix Light; editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Mark Trevelyan
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Trump leaves G7 summit early due to Middle East situation
U.S. President Donald Trump left the Group of Seven summit in Canada a day early due to the situation in the Middle East. French President Emmanuel Macron said Trump had made an offer for a ceasefire between Israel and Iran. Trump said the former Group of Eight had been wrong to kick out Russia in 2014 after it annexed Crimea. G7 leaders from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the U.S., along with the European Union, had convened in the resort area of Kananaskis in the Canadian Rockies until Tuesday.. Canada has abandoned any effort to adopt a comprehensive communique to avert a repeat of the 2018 summit in Trump’s America. US and UK finalize trade deal; Canada says expects deal in 30 days.. The G7 has struggled to find unity over conflicts in Ukraine and between Israel. and Iran as Trump overtly expressed support for Russian President Vladimir Putin and has imposed tariffs on many of the allies present. The United States and Britain have finalized a trade deal, making the first country to agree to lower tariffs for the two allies.
Macron says Trump leaving is positive given potential Middle East ceasefire
Trump says removing Russia from G8 in 2014 was a mistake
US and UK finalize trade deal; Canada says expects deal in 30 days
KANANASKIS, Alberta, June 16 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump left the Group of Seven summit in Canada a day early due to the situation in the Middle East, the White House said on Monday.
French President Emmanuel Macron said Trump had made an offer for a ceasefire between Israel and Iran.
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Trump had earlier urged everyone to immediately evacuate Tehran, and reiterated that Iran should have signed a nuclear deal with the United States.
“Much was accomplished, but because of what’s going on in the Middle East, President Trump will be leaving tonight after dinner with Heads of State,” Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on X.
The G7 has struggled to find unity over conflicts in Ukraine and between Israel and Iran as Trump overtly expressed support for Russian President Vladimir Putin and has imposed tariffs on many of the allies present.
Trump did agree to a group statement calling for de-escalation of the Israel-Iran conflict.
“We urge that the resolution of the Iranian crisis leads to a broader de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza,” the statement said.
The G7 expressed support for Israel , saying it has the right to defend itself and labeled its rival Iran as a source of instability in the Middle East.
Macron said Trump’s departure was positive, given the objective to get a ceasefire.
“There is indeed an offer to meet and exchange. An offer was made especially to get a ceasefire and to then kick-start broader discussions,” Macron told reporters.
“We have to see now whether the sides will follow.”
G7 leaders from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the U.S., along with the European Union, had convened in the resort area of Kananaskis in the Canadian Rockies until Tuesday.
Speaking alongside Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney earlier, Trump said the former Group of Eight had been wrong to kick out Russia in 2014 after it annexed Crimea.
“This was a big mistake,” Trump said, adding he believed Russia would not have invaded Ukraine in 2022 had Putin not been ejected.
Item 1 of 17 U.S. President Donald Trump boards Air Force One as he departs early from the G7 Leaders’ Summit in the Rocky Mountain resort town of Kananaskis to return to Washington, at Calgary International Airport in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, June 16, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque [1/17] U.S. President Donald Trump boards Air Force One as he departs early from the G7 Leaders’ Summit in the Rocky Mountain resort town of Kananaskis to return to Washington, at Calgary International Airport in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, June 16, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tab
“Putin speaks to me. He doesn’t speak to anybody else … he’s not a happy person about it. I can tell you that he basically doesn’t even speak to the people that threw him out, and I agree with him,” Trump said.
Though Trump stopped short of saying Russia should be reinstated in the group, his comments had raised doubts about how much Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy can achieve when he is scheduled to meet the leaders on Tuesday.
“It was a rough start,” said Josh Lipsky, a former senior IMF official who now chairs the international economics department at the Atlantic Council.
European nations had wanted to persuade Trump to back tougher sanctions on Moscow.
A spokesperson for the Ukraine embassy in Canada said Zelenskiy was still planning to come to Canada.
Canada has abandoned any effort to adopt a comprehensive communique to avert a repeat of the 2018 summit in Quebec, when Trump instructed the U.S. delegation to withdraw its approval of the final communique after leaving.
Leaders have prepared several draft documents seen by Reuters, including on migration , artificial intelligence, and critical minerals . None of them have been approved by the United States, however, according to sources briefed on the documents.
Without Trump, it is unclear if there will be any declarations, a European diplomat said.
Carney invited non-G7 members Mexico, India, Australia, South Africa, South Korea and Brazil, as well as Ukraine.
TARIFFS
Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday they had finalized a trade deal reached between the two allies last month, making Britain the first country to agree to a deal for lower U.S. tariffs.
Carney said in a statement he had agreed with Trump that their two nations should try to wrap up a new economic and security deal within 30 days.
Trump said a new economic deal with host Canada was possible but stressed tariffs had to play a role, a position the Canadian government strongly opposes.
“Our position is that we should have no tariffs on Canadian exports to the United States,” said Kirsten Hillman, Canada’s ambassador to Washington.
Additional reporting by David Ljunggren and Suzanne Plunket and Andrea Shalal in Washington; Editing by Caroline Stauffer, Paul Simao, Rod Nickel, Nick Zieminski, Stephen Coates and Shri Navaratnam
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