Hello, this is Mared Gwyn writing in the early morning from Luxembourg, where there’s plenty of action on EU foreign policy and enlargement lined up for the day. More on that later.
As you were sleeping, Russia launched yet another round of ballistic missile strikes on Kyiv, striking the city's historic Assumption Cathedral within the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, one of Ukraine's most significant religious and cultural sites which holds some of the country’s most revered shrines and relics. It comes just as President Zelenskyy is expected to join leaders at the G7 summit for talks on Ukraine’s future. More on that in our top story below.
But first, let’s take you to Évian-les-Bains in France, the Alpine town which will provide the stunning backdrop to a much-anticipated G7 summit over the next few days. The action kicks off later today with a bilateral meeting between US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron, before leaders gather over dinner.
In a timely fashion, both Washington and Tehran confirmed overnight that a peace deal to bring the war in Iran to an end has been “completed” and will be signed on Friday.
Off the back of the announcement, the leaders of France, Germany, the UK and Italy – all headed to Évian – have called for the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz in order to stabilise the world’s economy. A substantial military undertaking will be required to clear mines and ensure freedom of navigation through the critical waterway – with France and the UK expected to take on a leading role.
