British Prime Minister Keir Starmer denied being snubbed by U.S; President Donald Trump at the G7 summit, according to The Guardian. Starmer met Trump in a series of discussions and called the talks “very productive, very good.” He emphasized that the UK is prepared to contribute to opening the Strait of Hormuz following a peace agreement between the U.S. and Iran. “The strait being closed in the way that it has had an impact on our economy, had an impact on every household across the country, so we’ll play our full part in relation to that,” he said. The UK could be involved in demining the vital shipping route.

G7 Focus on Ukraine and Sanctions

At the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains. Leaders aimed to refocus attention on the Ukraine conflict, according to NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth; U.S. allies pushed to elevate the war in Ukraine after it was overshadowed by the recent U.S.-Iran conflict. President Trump said the Iran issue would soon be “back in the rearview mirror.” G7 leaders, including Trump, agreed to increase pressure on Russia through sanctions targeting its oil and natural gas sectors. A French diplomat described the discussions on Ukraine as “very fruitful,” with leaders agreeing to support Ukraine with additional air defense capabilities and other means of protection. France and its European allies have become the biggest providers of military and financial support to Kyiv, as the U.S. under Trump has cut back aid.

Starmer’s Defense Policy and Sanctions

Starmer indicated that there would be no new money for defense in the delayed defense investment plan, according to The Guardian — Defence Secretary John Healey resigned last week over the issue. Starmer said Labour had overseen the biggest sustained increase in defense spending since the 1980s, moving from 2.3% to 2.6% of GDP — the new defense secretary, Dan Jarvis, is now evaluating priorities and capabilities. “He will now want to look at his own priorities and capabilities, and he may want to take a slightly different approach as to what those capabilities and priorities are now he’s looking at the plan,” Starmer said. The UK also announced new sanctions targeting the “shadow fleet” Russia uses to ship oil and gas, according to NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth.

European Concerns and Alternatives to Hormuz

European leaders are skeptical about the durability of Trump’s ceasefire with Iran and are seeking alternatives to the Strait of Hormuz, according to Frankfurter Rundschau, as Diplomats said discussions on ending dependence on the Strait of Hormuz are among the main goals of the G7 summit. The U.S. and Iran have agreed to a framework to end their months-long conflict, which includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz and dismantling Iran’s nuclear program. A western official said the closure of the Strait has had “hard” effects on economies through higher energy costs. France and the UK plan to present Trump with an overview of a European-led coalition to break the blockade and push for an international initiative to reduce dependence on the Strait.

Trump downplayed the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on the U.S. but acknowledged the high death toll, according to NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth; “The whole thing is ridiculous,” Trump said. “So, yeah, I’m going to do whatever I can.” The summit wrapped quickly, with leaders gathering for just 75 minutes in the French spa town near the Swiss border.