G7 Summit in France Commences Amid Trade Tensions with US; Brazilian Delegation Coordinates Behind-the-Scenes Strategy to Head Off Tariffs

G7 Summit in France Commences Amid Trade Tensions with US; Brazilian Delegation Coordinates Behind-the-Scenes Strategy to Head Off Tariffs

The G7 Heads of State and Government Summit officially begins this Monday (15) in the spa town of Évian-les-Bains, at the foot of the French Alps, triggering intense activity in international diplomacy. The high-level gathering, which runs until June 17, 2026, follows months of preparatory ministerial meetings on Defense, Foreign Affairs, and Technology held in Paris and its surroundings, such as Vaux-de-Cernay. The dynamic of this year's debates will be shaped by sharp trade frictions, regional geopolitical crises, and a strategic outreach to major emerging economies, including Brazil.

The center of political attention is focused on the stance of U.S. President Donald Trump. A climate of deep global apprehension prevails due to the upcoming review of the USMCA trade agreement (United States, Canada, and Mexico), scheduled for July 1. Trump has already signaled a lack of interest in renewing the treaty under its current terms and is threatening to impose new, blanket tariff surcharges. In response, and seeking to consolidate a line of "strategic autonomy," leaders such as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and French President Emmanuel Macron moved ahead of the forum to seal robust bilateral agreements in defense, artificial intelligence, and the aerospace sector. Immediately following the conclusion of the G7, Macron will host Trump for a private bilateral meeting at the Palace of Versailles.

On the security and geopolitics front, G7 allies are seeking to coordinate positions with the U.S. regarding two major global crises:

Ukraine: The primary focus remains on maintaining energy and military support for Kyiv, alongside tightening financial sanctions against the "ghost fleet" of oil tankers funding the Russian war effort.

Middle East: The bloc is attempting to draft coordinated negotiation paths to ensure a lasting de-escalation of hostilities, the interruption of arms trafficking, and the full reopening of vital maritime trade routes.

Brazil's Agenda and the Behind-the-Scenes Offensive

As part of the French presidency's efforts to bring the G7 closer to developing nations, Brazil is participating in the summit as an invited nation in open sessions. The official agenda for the Brazilian representation is structured around three fundamental pillars throughout the summit:

 

June 16 (Tuesday) – International Partnerships: Discussions on global governance reforms and supply chain resilience.

 

June 17 (Wednesday) – Balanced Economic Growth: Debates focused on sustainable development, the energy transition, and critical minerals.

 

June 17 (Wednesday) – Artificial Intelligence: A working lunch dedicated exclusively to digital regulation guidelines, information integrity, and ethics in AI development.

Parallel to these multilateral commitments, the Brazilian diplomatic and technical delegation has launched a behind-the-scenes strategy. The country is considering extending the stay of its representatives in Évian to try to arrange a direct bilateral meeting with Donald Trump and his economic team. The main objective of this offensive is to open a technical dialogue channel to mitigate the impacts of proposed U.S. customs surcharges on Brazilian exports, thereby protecting industrial and commodity sectors strategic to the national economy.

About the G7

The Group of Seven (G7) is an international political and economic forum consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, with the participation of the European Union. The annual summit discusses macroeconomic guidelines, international security, and global cooperation.