G7 Agrees to Intensify Energy Pressure on Russia, Trump Ties Sanctions Reimposition to Hormuz Reopening

The sanctions push comes at a pivotal moment for U.S. policy. The Trump administration had previously eased restrictions on Russian oil to stabilize global prices during the Iran conflict, issuing a series of temporary waivers through the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). The most recent authorization, General License 134C issued on April 17, 2026, allowed the delivery and sale of certain Russian-origin crude loaded onto vessels, but it is now set to expire on June 17, 2026 .

Trump explicitly tied the reinstatement of sanctions to this expiration and the changed energy landscape. "Soon we will be able to do that because the oil is now flowing," Trump told reporters at the summit, referencing the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz under the preliminary deal with Iran . This marks a sharp reversal from the emergency measures taken in March 2026, when the U.S. temporarily lifted restrictions on Russian oil at sea to prevent prices from spiking during the Iran standoff .

The Iran Ceasefire as a Sanctions Enabler

The preliminary U.S.-Iran ceasefire deal served as a crucial backdrop to the entire summit. The conflict, which had closed the Strait of Hormuz—a chokepoint for roughly 20% of global crude oil shipments—forced the Trump administration into an awkward position of providing temporary sanctions relief to both Iran and Russia to manage energy prices . By the time leaders gathered in Évian-les-Bains, a tentative memorandum of understanding had halted hostilities and reportedly included Iranian commitments to reopen the strait within a 30-day window .

Trump framed the deal as the justification for a renewed sanctions offensive against Moscow. With crude flows resuming through the strait, he argued the global supply picture had improved enough to absorb the removal of Russian barrels from the market . European allies, however, pressed Trump on the risks of the Iran deal during bilateral discussions, raising concerns about terms, regional stability, and verification mechanisms . French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged the deal as a positive step, but sought more clarity on its specifics .

Ukraine Returns to the Top of the Agenda

One of the summit's most significant behind-the-scenes developments was the successful effort by European allies to refocus Trump's attention on the war in Ukraine. The Iran crisis had consumed U.S. diplomatic bandwidth for months, sidelining the conflict in Eastern Europe. G7 allies worked deliberately to push Ukraine back up Trump's agenda during the summit .

President Zelenskyy attended the summit in person at the invitation of host nation France, participating in a 75-minute working session with G7 leaders . He also held a bilateral meeting with Trump—their second interaction in days, following a phone call on Sunday . Zelenskyy described the encounter as "very good" and thanked G7 leaders for "strong ideas on how to force Russia into peace," highlighting that the U.S. was prepared to support Ukraine across multiple initiatives .

Trump, for his part, publicly called on Russia to "make a deal" to end the war and said he would do what he could to help . The statement came despite the Kremlin having rejected a proposed multilateral meeting at the summit just hours earlier .

Zelenskyy later reported that the G7 leaders had a common view: Russia is not winning the war, and additional sanctions are needed to compel Moscow to negotiate . European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa reinforced this message, telling Zelenskyy that "the tide is turning for Ukraine" .

Air Defense and Military Support

Beyond sanctions rhetoric, the G7 committed to tangible military support for Ukraine. Leaders agreed to provide additional air defense equipment as part of the renewed pressure package . Zelenskyy had specifically requested "additional air defense missiles along with the necessary licenses for their production" as well as a winter assistance package and heightened pressure on Russia .

The summit also came just one day after Ukraine opened the first cluster of negotiations to join the European Union, adding a longer-term strategic dimension to the discussions. Zelenskyy pressed for fast-tracked accession during bilateral talks with von der Leyen and Costa .

A Political Agreement Without Specifics

Despite the unified messaging, the G7's agreement to increase sanctions pressure remains a political commitment rather than a fully operational plan. Diplomats and officials described the deal as "broad" and lacking specifics . The question of exactly how and when new gas and oil sanctions will be implemented—and whether the G7 price cap mechanism on Russian oil will be lowered from the current $60 per barrel—was left unresolved at this summit .

The European Commission had previously sought G7 input on the fate of the price cap before proposing its next sanctions package, with Finland and Sweden pushing for a full ban on maritime services for Russian oil . Those detailed discussions will now unfold in the weeks following the summit, with the immediate focus on whether the U.S. follows through on Trump's promise and allows its waivers to expire as scheduled.

With General License 134C lapsing on June 17 and no indication from the Treasury Department of a further extension, the trajectory points toward a rapid tightening of the sanctions regime—assuming the fragile Iran ceasefire holds and the Strait of Hormuz remains open to commercial traffic.