Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) have expressed readiness to consider granting Ukraine access to military production licenses and agreed to increase the delivery of weapons and air defense systems, according to a joint statement released on June 17.

The statement, issued at the G7 summit held in Evian from June 15–17, outlined continued and expanded military support for Ukraine as the war with Russia continues. The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and defense capabilities.

“We commend Ukraine for its resilience and progress on the battlefield in recent months and emphasize there is now a new momentum,” the statement said. “To support and accelerate this new momentum, we agree to increase the delivery of air defence capacities, additional systems and interceptors, and long-range capabilities.”

The G7 also said it is prepared to explore allowing Ukraine to benefit from military production licenses, a move that could enable Kyiv to scale up domestic weapons manufacturing. “We are also ready to consider extending to Ukraine the benefit of licenses to allow for an increase in Ukraine’s military production,” the statement added.

However, an unnamed senior European Union official noted that while the issue was discussed among leaders, no final decision had been made. “The U.S. said it would look into it, but there was no decision,” the official said.

The summit brought together G7 leaders in the French city of Evian, where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met separately with U.S. President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron on June 16.

In their joint declaration, the leaders reaffirmed solidarity with Ukraine and condemned continued Russian strikes on critical infrastructure and cultural heritage sites. “We, the Leaders of the G7, stand united in our unwavering support for Ukraine in defending its freedom, sovereignty, and territorial integrity,” the statement said.

The G7 also pledged continued assistance for Ukraine’s energy security ahead of the winter season, as Russian attacks on infrastructure persist. Additionally, the group signaled plans to increase economic pressure on Russia through expanded sanctions targeting the oil and gas sectors and broader elements of what it described as the “Russian war economy.”

“We commit to increase the pressure on the Russian war economy. In this context, we will strengthen our sanctions, including those on the oil and gas sectors,” the statement said.

The declaration also referenced shifting geopolitical momentum, suggesting that recent diplomatic developments had refocused attention on Ukraine. A senior EU official said discussions were influenced by broader regional developments, adding that some leaders viewed recent developments as a “turning point” in the war.

Despite the military commitments, the statement did not outline new budgetary contributions to address Ukraine’s financing gap. According to reports, Ukraine still faces significant funding needs through 2027, even after substantial EU assistance packages were approved earlier this year.

A G7 diplomat noted that while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen raised the issue of Ukraine’s remaining budget shortfall, leaders did not reach agreement on how the financial burden would be distributed among member states. (ILKHA)