Foreign ministers of the Group of Seven leading industrialised nations opened two days of talks in Paris on Monday, with Europe pressing the United States for a fair settlement in Ukraine and for restraint on Iran, according to Reuters and AFP reporting. The meeting brings together US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his counterparts from Germany, Britain, Canada, France, Italy and Japan.
The talks are being held at the French Foreign Ministry in Paris rather than Marseille, following a last-minute change attributed to scheduling considerations. France, which holds the G7 presidency until the end of the year, moved the meeting at the last minute amid nationwide protests over the cost of living, Reuters reported. The French hosts have signalled that the meeting is unlikely to produce a joint communique, a sign of how divided the group remains on several major issues.
All eyes are on Rubio, who is attending both days, unlike the March meeting where he came for one. It is his first foreign trip since the midterm elections, in which Republicans lost control of Congress. US media have discussed him as a potential successor to President Donald Trump. The Paris visit marks Rubio’s first foreign trip since the Democrats’ sweeping victory.
Ukraine talks days away
The meeting coincides with US-mediated talks between Moscow and Kyiv scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday in Abu Dhabi, aimed at reaching a settlement to end the war in Ukraine. European powers are pressing the United States to seek a fair settlement and to ensure Kyiv is not forced to accept disadvantageous conditions. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told RTL radio that “Europeans will be represented” this time and that France would take part in the Abu Dhabi talks.
Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, is expected to join a dedicated session on Tuesday, and ministers from countries including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, South Korea and Brazil are also attending parts of the meeting, according to diplomats cited by Reuters. France has also invited Brazil, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Ukraine to some sessions, according to the Associated Press.
Russia’s war against Ukraine, following the February 2022 full-scale invasion, is grinding towards its fifth anniversary. The G7 agenda also includes freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea, the wider Middle East, Africa, the Indo-Pacific, China and Latin America, with France wanting to address Israel, the West Bank, Gaza, Lebanon and Syria, along with Venezuela, Cuba and Haiti.
Iran and Lebanon on the table
On Iran, Trump has not ruled out new strikes, including at the suspected nuclear site Tehran calls Pickaxe Mountain, which Iran denies is a nuclear facility. European governments are seeking a diplomatic resolution and pressing Washington to seek restraint. The French Foreign Ministry said the Middle East would be a central topic, with particular attention to maritime security, the Strait of Hormuz and energy issues.
For France, Lebanon is the most urgent diplomatic priority. Paris seeks to establish an international presence mechanism within weeks after the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ends on 31 December. Rubio is expected to face questions about Iran policy in Paris, according to CBS News. Washington will take over the G7 presidency from France in 2027.
Related coverage: Russian Strikes Leave 600,000 Without Power in Eastern Ukraine ; France Protests Continue as Lecornu Prepares Monday Talks
