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French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron kick-started the 52nd G7 Summit on Tuesday as they welcomed the leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) nations in the French spa town of Evian-les-Bains, with global security, economic stability and the newly announced US-Iran peace deal expected to dominate discussions.
Macron greeted the arriving leaders individually and shared videos of the welcoming ceremony on X, showcasing the opening moments of the high-profile summit that has brought together leaders of the world's major economies. US President Donald Trump was the first leader to arrive and was received by Macron and Brigitte Macron. He was followed by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and First Lady Victoria Starmer, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, and President of the European Council Antonio Costa. The summit, being hosted by France from June 15 to 17, comes at a critical juncture marked by geopolitical tensions, global economic uncertainties and renewed diplomatic efforts in West Asia. Trump arrived in France after landing in Geneva en route to vian-les-Bains on Monday. His participation comes shortly after the announcement of a peace agreement framework between the United States and Iran, which is expected to be one of the central topics of discussion during the summit. According to the White House, Trump travelled with a high-level delegation that included Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and several senior administration officials. The summit follows heightened tensions in West Asia. Earlier this month, Trump cut short his participation in the previous G7 gathering in Canada amid the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. Days later, he ordered US military strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities before subsequently announcing a peace framework with Tehran. In a video message released ahead of the summit, Macron outlined an ambitious agenda focused on addressing global crises, economic imbalances and emerging technological challenges. "We will welcome here in Evian the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, the European Commission, and the President of the European Council. Together, we'll try to move forward on the major topics," Macron said. The French President said discussions would focus on Ukraine, West Asia, international trade, energy security, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and global economic governance. Macron also announced the participation of several outreach partners, including India, Brazil, Kenya and South Korea, along with representatives from key international institutions. India's participation marks the 13th time it has attended the G7 Summit as a partner country and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's seventh consecutive appearance at the gathering. (ANI)
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