EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France — While the top leaders of the world’s wealthiest democracies gathered this week at a scenic lakeside French resort to hash out solutions to pressing global crises, unfiltered open microphones have pulled back the curtain on the far more casual, unplanned side of high-level diplomatic summits. Between formal sessions focused on topics from the Ukraine conflict to global trade tensions, world leaders found time to swap jokes, discuss personal milestones, debate sports, and trade lighthearted quips that would never make it into official communiques.
One of the most viral unscripted moments came Tuesday, when Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni opened up about a major personal lifestyle change. After German Chancellor Friedrich Merz asked if she had already snuck in a cigarette that morning, Meloni proudly revealed she had kicked the habit entirely, quitting cold turkey starting May 1. The announcement drew immediate warm congratulations from fellow leaders spanning Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, and the European Union, with Meloni raising her hands in a playful victory lap. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, ever practical, quickly followed up with a question about cessation tools: “Do you have a patch?” he asked, gesturing to his own arm to clarify.
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup already underway across North America, soccer dominated much of the off-agenda small talk among the gathered leaders. As the group assembled for a working lunch, French President Emmanuel Macron joined in the chatter, with attendees bursting into the iconic French national team cheer “Allez les bleus!” Other leaders weighed in on recent club football, discussing Paris-Saint Germain’s recent Champions League triumph.
U.S. President Donald Trump steered the sports conversation toward mixed martial arts, highlighting the UFC cage fight event he hosted at the White House this past Sunday — an event that doubled as an informal 80th birthday celebration for the president, who sat ringside for the bouts. Trump spoke warmly of UFC CEO Dana White, praising the event organizer in his off-the-cuff comments. U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer also offered his take on a surprising World Cup upset, marveling at Cape Verde’s unexpected 0-0 draw against defending World Cup champion Spain. “Quite remarkable, I have to say,” Starmer commented of the underdog result.
The most intriguing unscripted moment came when Trump’s brief chat with European Council President António Costa caught on open mics. After a pause and a steady look at Costa, Trump simply said: “You understand? … Greenland.” The full context of the exchange was cut off by the microphone placement, leaving the full meaning unclear. The offhand comment references a long-running point of tension: European politicians have repeatedly pushed back against Trump’s past public threats to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory that holds significant strategic and natural resource value.
Another moment of levity unfolded after French President Emmanuel Macron accidentally left his watch behind at the conclusion of the working lunch. Carney first pointed out the abandoned timepiece, telling the group “He’s left his watch here. We’ve got his watch.” Trump quickly jumped in with a playful quip, drawing laughs from the room when he joked “Give me it if he left, gimme.”
The summit also included several examples of traditional gift-giving diplomacy, another staple of high-level global gatherings. According to Union Cycliste Internationale President David Lappartient’s social media posts, Macron gifted each of his six fellow G7 counterparts a custom personalized bicycle, chosen to promote the 2027 Cycling World Championships scheduled to be held in the French Alps. There was no immediate on-the-record reaction from Trump, who is not known for cycling and has previously joked that he keeps his exercise routine limited to regular golf outings.
Merz followed the bicycle gift with a birthday-themed present of his own for Trump: a German national soccer jersey emblazoned with Trump’s last name and the number 47, referencing Trump’s status as the 47th U.S. President. Trump held up the jersey to pose for a smiling photo before setting it aside. Merz later shared the photo of the exchange to his social media channels, adding a carefully worded message that struck a conciliatory tone after the two leaders recently sparred over policy toward the war in Iran: “After all, we’re on the same team.”
This report featured contributions from AP correspondent Joe Binkley, reporting out of Washington, and AP writer Sam McNeil, who contributed from Brussels.