France will host the next G7 summit in 2026, choosing the Alpine spa resort town of Evian-les-Bains as the venue, French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Tuesday.
Evian, France, to Host G7 in 2026
Evian, which is located on the shores of Lake Geneva and bordering Switzerland, previously hosted the G7 summit in 2003. That edition was notable for the first invitation extended to Russia. However, Russia was later suspended from the group in 2014 following its annexation of Crimea from Ukraine.
The leaders of the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United States, and the European Union are scheduled to meet during the summer of 2026 G7 Summit.
What is G7?
The G7 was formed on March 25, 1973, as a response by developed nations facing significant economic challenges during the 1970s. These challenges included the Nixon shock of 1971 and the oil crisis of 1973. The G7 came into origin after these countries recognized the need for a platform to propose, discuss, and coordinate policies on key issues such as the economy, currency, trade, and energy.
The first summit, which took place in November 1975 at the Château de Rambouillet, located on the outskirts of Paris, was proposed by the French President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing. The first meeting included six countries, including France, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, and Italy.
Over time, the G7 expanded to formally include Canada, making up the original seven member countries. The European Union joined in 1977 and is often referred to as the eighth member of the forum.
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The Russian G7 Debacle
Russia was part of the G7 until 2014. However, it was indefinitely suspended following its annexation of the Crimea from Ukraine. Since then, Russia has been excluded from the meetings of the group.
The US President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed the view that excluding Russia was a mistake. He ahs argued for the participation of the Russian President Vladimir Putin in the group.
The 2018 G7 summit was a notable gathering that was also held in Canada. It was marked by a rift between US President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. G7 summits are held annually and are hosted on a rotational basis by member countries’ presidencies.
Is India part of the G7?
India is not a part of the G7 group; however, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was invited to participate in this year’s G7 summit for the sixth consecutive time. Alongside the summit, Prime Minister Modi is expected to hold several bilateral meetings.
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