G7 gathers as Russia pounds Ukrainian monastery and historic sites

European leaders are heading to the French Alps today for a G7 summit that's already overshadowed by fresh Russian strikes across Ukraine, including attacks on a UNESCO-protected monastery in Kyiv that caught fire overnight.

The gathering in Évian-les-Bains will focus on three major headaches: the grinding war in Ukraine, the Middle East chaos, and Iran. But it's Ukraine stealing the spotlight after another night of bombardment hit civilian infrastructure and religious buildings.

Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, isn't mincing words. She posted before the summit kicks off: "We will discuss the next steps to increase pressure on Russia, bring Putin to the negotiating table, and end this senseless killing. Europe wants peace. Nobody more than the Ukrainian people. Russia, on the other hand, showed again its sole interest in violence and destruction."

Macron's hoping to use the summit to lock in a united front, especially if Trump sticks around for the full program. That's become something of a question mark—whether the former US president will stay engaged or dip out early like he's done before at international conferences.

The monastery fire is just the latest in what's become a grueling pattern. Ukraine's been absorbing waves of missile and drone attacks for months now, and the targeting of religious and cultural sites keeps drawing condemnation from the international community. UNESCO heritage sites aren't supposed to be fair game, but Russia's shown little regard for those rules.

Von der Leyen's comments make clear Europe's losing patience with Moscow's explanations for its military operations. The disconnect between what Russia claims it's doing and what's actually happening on the ground—burning monasteries, hitting civilian areas—keeps widening.

How much the G7 can actually accomplish on Ukraine remains to be seen. Pressure campaigns and calls for negotiations have been part of the playbook since the invasion started, and Putin hasn't budged. Still, the summit gives Western leaders a chance to coordinate their next moves and signal that they're not backing down.