World leaders have gathered in Évian, France, for a three-day G7 summit taking place just after the United States and Iran reached a framework agreement that opens a 60-day negotiation window. French President Emmanuel Macron, hosting what is expected to be his final G7 summit before leaving office next year, placed the Middle East, Ukraine, China, artificial intelligence, and online child protection among the key priorities.
Macron said discussions would also focus on critical raw materials, expressing optimism that a joint position could be reached among the G7 countries. He warned that global dependence on a limited number of suppliers remains a strategic vulnerability, particularly after recent export restrictions on rare earth elements used in energy and defense industries.
“We all need access to critical minerals and rare earths. Existing dependencies remain,” Macron said, adding that future coordination should help countries “cooperate to diversify” supply chains and reduce risks of disruption.
On security issues, Macron stressed that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) must play a central role in verifying any limits on Iran’s nuclear program under the emerging US-Iran framework. He said enriched uranium should either be removed to a third country or diluted on-site under strict international supervision, with continuous monitoring of facilities.
