G7 leaders agree to increase pressure on Russia over Ukraine war

The United States and several European countries agreed on Tuesday to increase pressure on Russia in an effort to bring about negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky joined leaders on the second day of the G7 summit in France.

The heads of the Group of Seven (G7) leading industrialized democracies, including US President Donald Trump, agreed that Ukraine's position on the battlefield had improved significantly, German government sources said after the talks.

"They agreed that support for Ukraine must be increased and that pressure on Russia must be increased," the sources said.

The meeting brought together Trump, Zelensky and the leaders of Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Canada and Japan.

The sources said that the European leaders had presented a united front.

"The dynamic had changed" for Ukraine, the sources said: Ukraine is in a "position of strength" while Russia was "under pressure."

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also announced new sanctions targeting Russia's shadow fleet and defence industry.

Carney said 162 individuals, companies and vessels are to be added to Canada's sanctions list, while the UK package includes 70 new sanctions against Russia's shadow fleet, defence supply chains and illegal financial networks used to circumvent sanctions.

Washington has been mediating between Moscow and Kiev to try to end the conflict, but diplomatic efforts have stalled in recent weeks as the war in Iran diverted US attention. Germany, France and the UK are seeking to revive the process, and are pushing for a role in future negotiations.

"The tide is turning for Ukraine," European Commission President von der Leyen wrote on X. "The situation in 2026 is very different from 2025. Ukraine is bravely holding the frontline. Russia's fatigue is openly showing."

It was time to "double down on our support," she wrote.