Federal President Guy Parmelin welcomes Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.Image: keystone
June 15, 2026, 9:01 p.mJune 15, 2026, 9:01 p.m
In the run-up to the G7 summit in Evian, Federal President Guy Parmelin welcomed visiting heads of state and government at Geneva Airport on Monday. In addition to the G7 states, numerous other countries are taking part in the summit. Parmelin held longer discussions in Geneva with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Here Parmelin shakes the hand of EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.Image: keystone
The topics of the meeting with the leaders of the European Union, including von der Leyen and EU Council President António Costa, were the outcome of Sunday’s vote on the popular initiative “No 10 million Switzerland! (Sustainability Initiative)” as well as the next steps in the Switzerland-EU package (Bilateral III), as the state government announced on Monday evening.
Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (l.) poses with Parmelin.Image: keystone
Parmelin discussed with Brazilian President Lula da Silva the next steps towards ratification of the free trade agreement between the European Free Trade Association Efta and the Mercosur states Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.
A meeting between Parmelin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyj was planned for Monday evening, among other things to discuss the offer of good offices and Switzerland’s contributions to reconstruction in the country that was badly damaged by Russian attacks.
Meetings with Carney, Starmer, Trump possible
On Tuesday, Parmelin is expected to be able to speak to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Evian about renewing the free trade agreement with Canada. He will also definitely meet British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Tuesday. There could also be short talks with other heads of state and government, including US President Donald Trump.
Pamelin welcomes British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his wife, Victoria Starmer. Image: keystone
In front of the media, Parmelin had previously appeared “proud” to “be able to receive six heads of state and government from the G7 in Geneva” before they traveled on to Evian. The Federal President welcomed them at the airport.
Parmelin speaks with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and his wife, Charlotte Merz.Image: keystone
Parmelin strongly condemned Sunday’s riots in Geneva. Those responsible would have to answer in court, said Parmelin.
Cost agreement with France pending
On the question of sharing costs with France in the event of damage, the Federal President declared two weeks ago that a solution would be found. Since then, the Federal Council’s delegate to the G7 summit, Ambassador Alain Gaschen, appears to have dampened expectations of this scenario, which Geneva State Councilor Carole-Anne Kast also confirmed.
“We remain in close contact” with France and the situation must be assessed after the summit in Evian, explained Parmelin. However, he already praised the cooperation in the security area, which in his opinion worked well.
US-Iran agreement in Geneva?
After Evian, Geneva could take the spotlight. According to Trump, after weeks of negotiations, a framework agreement to settle the war between the USA and Iran will take place there.
The agreement is to be signed on Friday. It is intended to lay the foundation for negotiations about Tehran’s nuclear program, for example. (sda)
Here Trump is on Swiss soil for two minutes
Video: Watson