Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) countries gathered in the Canadian town of La Malbaie, in the province of Quebec, in an attempt to show unity after seven weeks of rising tensions between US allies and the administration of President Donald Trump. The war in Ukraine, US tariffs on steel and aluminium imports and the G7's approach to China are the main items on the agenda of the two-day meeting, reports "Reuters".
First of all, foreign ministers will expect to receive information from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on talks held this week in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where Kiev expressed readiness to support a 30-day ceasefire. The initiative, which is being discussed under the auspices of Washington, has already provoked reactions among Western allies.
Ahead of the meeting, diplomatic sources indicated that reaching a consensus final document would be difficult, with some G7 members questioning Washington's commitment to its wording. According to the initial draft of the joint statement seen by ‚Reuters", there is no direct mention of new sanctions against Russia. On the other hand, the document contains tougher rhetoric towards China, calling on Beijing to end its support for Moscow's military efforts.
In November 2024, the previous G7 joint statement devoted almost two pages out of eight to the war in Ukraine. In the new version, which is not yet final, the war occupies only four paragraphs, carefully worded so as not to provoke Moscow.
The Trump administration insists on avoiding language that could jeopardize potential talks between Russia and Ukraine. American diplomats emphasize that the main task now is to get a reaction from Moscow after the discussions in Jeddah.
Since Donald Trump returned to the White House on January 20, 2025, the United States has taken a more reserved stance on the conflict in Ukraine. Washington has focused on a quick cessation of hostilities, insisting that European allies take a greater role in Ukraine's future. At the same time, the administration has stepped up diplomatic contacts with Moscow.
A further complication in relations between the G7 and Washington has been the decision of the United States to impose 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports. Canada and the European Union immediately responded with retaliatory measures, leading to serious trade disputes.
Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said she would use the G7 meeting to coordinate the EU's response and put pressure on Washington. "I will raise the issue of tariffs in every meeting," Joly said, stressing that the sanctions against Canada were unprecedented for a US ally.
Even Japan, which relies heavily on US security guarantees, has come under pressure from the Trump administration. A European diplomat quoted by Reuters said wryly: "Maybe we should wait for the G8," hinting at Trump's idea of restoring the G8 by bringing Russia back into the group.
Relations between the United States and Canada have reached a low point after Trump threatened to impose tariffs on all imports from his northern neighbor and even publicly mused about annexing Canada as the 51st state. "This is not a meeting to discuss how we're going to take over Canada," Marco Rubio joked upon arriving in La Malbaie.
G7 diplomats hope to use the meeting to better understand Marco Rubio's influence on American foreign policy. Trump has used various unofficial representatives to negotiate on issues such as Ukraine and the Middle East, causing concern among allies.