President Donald Trump will meet with U.S. partners in the Middle East during the Group of Seven leaders’ summit in France, underscoring the disproportionate role the war in Iran continues to play as European allies grapple with the global economic fallout.
The president will hold bilateral meetings with the leaders of France, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and India, according to the White House. India and Middle Eastern countries are not part of the G7.
The United States and Iran are close to reaching an agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which could be signed as soon as this Sunday on the sidelines of the summit.
Senior administration officials had previously briefed reporters about the upcoming trip on condition of anonymity. The Trump administration believes it has a solid deal, one of the U.S. officials said, adding that there are many steps other G7 member countries can take once the Iran deal moves forward.
The president is expected to focus on economic development and security, supply chain resilience, artificial intelligence, regulatory simplification and energy abundance, officials said.
The meeting in Évian-les-Bains, June 15-17, comes at a time of rising tensions between the United States and many of its key economic and security partners.
