French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky were inadvertently recorded by a live microphone during a private conversation on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains, where they discussed President Trump’s approach to the war in Ukraine.
“Yesterday, we had a difficult discussion in front of the camera,” Macron told Zelensky, referring to a tense exchange with Trump at the G7 meeting. The conversation unfolded as Macron greeted Zelensky on the grounds of the Hotel Royal, underscoring the strained dynamics within the alliance.
Macron urged Zelensky to extend his stay at the summit, but Zelensky noted he was scheduled to travel to Brussels the following day to meet with EU leaders. Macron also asked if Zelensky had a bilateral meeting lined up with Trump, adding, “OK, I will arrange that,” according to the leaked audio.
The incident underscores the close coordination between Macron and Zelensky as they strive to keep Ukraine’s resistance against Russia at the top of the international agenda, even as Trump shifts focus to the Iran conflict. Zelensky has been lobbying Western leaders and the “Coalition of the Willing” for maximum pressure on Moscow, including more sanctions and arms transfers.
On Tuesday, Zelensky reiterated Ukraine’s urgent need for additional air defense systems as Russia intensifies airstrikes on Kyiv. Overnight, the Kremlin struck the historic Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra monastery, escalating attacks on the capital.
Trump and Zelensky spoke briefly alongside other G7 leaders earlier Tuesday, and Trump later confirmed they would meet again later in the day. Trump has been preoccupied with advancing a memorandum of understanding with Iran to extend a ceasefire, but he predicted the conflict would soon be “in the rearview mirror.”
G7 leaders collectively agreed to “increase pressure on Russia, including through oil and gas sanctions,” targeting Moscow’s shadow fleets as part of a unified effort. Trump announced he would stay in Évian-les-Bains an extra day to attend a dinner hosted by Macron at Versailles, which he praised as “the real deal.”
Zelensky has pushed for the EU and U.S. to sustain military aid and tighten sanctions to force Russian President Vladimir Putin into negotiations. The hot-mic moment reveals the delicate balancing act among allies as the Ukraine war risks being overshadowed by other global crises.
For more on Trump's foreign policy moves, see Trump dismisses Graham's Iran deal doubts and Senate GOP demands text of Trump's Iran deal.
