G7 meets against backdrop of wars and unpredictable US
Foreign ministers of the world’s leading Western democracies are meeting in France amid wars in Iran and Ukraine, economic uncertainty and growing unrest over the increasingly unpredictable US foreign policy.
The two-day meeting, which begins Thursday at the restored 12th-century Abbaye des Vaux-de-Cernay south of Paris, brings together ministers from the G7 (Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States) as well as the European Union.
The group, which first met with six people near Rambouillet 50 years ago, has traditionally approached key economic and geopolitical challenges with broad consensus.
This harmony has eroded since Donald Trump returns to the US presidency in 2025.
Allies and foes alike have spent the past year scrambling to respond to abrupt U.S. policy shifts, from tariffs to Ukraine and now to a Middle East conflict that European diplomats and officials say lacks clear goals or exit strategy.
France’s military chief lamented Washington’s unpredictability on Wednesday, saying it was affecting the interests and security of allies.
“The US stance is an element of destabilization of the international system for all players, not only for G7 members, but also for China (and) for many countries around the world,” said Thomas Gomart, director of the Paris-based French Institute of International Relations.
Underlining the break with past practice, officials abandoned efforts to prepare an all-encompassing, agreed-upon final declaration to avoid open tensions.
One of the top priorities for Washington’s partners will be a briefing by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who will attend the second day of the meeting on Friday.
Allies hope to gain more clarity on U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran and whether a meaningful diplomatic channel exists to end the conflict, officials said.
The talks will also focus on the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively closed and chokes nearly one-fifth of global oil supply.
Ministers from Brazil, India, South Korea and Saudi Arabia, whose harmony is of vital importance regarding global security, energy and diplomatic crises, will also attend the meeting.
Negotiations to end Russia’s war in Ukraine have stalled, and European officials fear that the United States, which is leading the negotiation effort and seeking rapprochement with Moscow, could push Kiev toward an unfavorable peace deal ahead of U.S. midterm elections in November.
European officials said they would emphasize to Rubio that such an outcome would be unacceptable, advocating instead for tougher sanctions on Russia and urgent efforts to prepare Ukraine for a new winter of war.
It was stated that these should include protecting the energy sector, which Russia has repeatedly targeted, as well as continuing military support to Kiev.
“We will reiterate our firm support for Kiev and US mediation efforts and emphasize the need to maintain strong pressure on Moscow through sanctions,” an Italian diplomatic source said.
The Ukrainian foreign minister will also attend the talks.
The meeting also feeds into France’s priorities ahead of the G7 leaders’ summit in the Alps next June, including how to address global imbalances and the multilateralism crisis.
