Foreign ministers from the world’s leading Western democracies gathered in Canada on Thursday, Reuters reported.
The event marked the first major Group of Seven (G7) meeting since tensions between US allies and President Donald Trump escalated over his foreign policy shifts on Ukraine and the imposition of controversial tariffs.
The two-day meeting, held in the picturesque tourist town of La Malbaie, Quebec, brings together representatives from the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United States, and the European Union. While past G7 gatherings have often been characterised by consensus, this year’s discussions are expected to be more contentious, reflecting the strained relations between Washington and its traditional allies.
A key agenda item for US partners will be a debriefing on Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s recent talks with Ukrainian officials in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where Kyiv expressed readiness to support a 30-day ceasefire agreement. However, crafting a unified final statement has proven challenging in the lead-up to the meeting, underscoring the deepening divisions within the group.
The US decision to impose 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminium imports has drawn swift retaliation from Canada and the EU, further exacerbating tensions. Washington has also sought to influence the language of the G7 statement, opposing a separate declaration on curbing Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet”—a clandestine shipping network used to evade sanctions—while pushing for stronger wording on China.
On Monday, Rubio cautioned against language that could hinder efforts to bring Russia and Ukraine to the negotiating table. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, he emphasised that a successful G7 statement should acknowledge the US role in advancing the peace process. Meanwhile, diplomats from other G7 nations expressed hope that the positive developments from the Jeddah talks might ease discussions on Ukraine.
Tariffs, “51st state” controversy
Even Japan, a nation heavily reliant on US security guarantees, has found itself targeted by Trump’s trade policies. The strained atmosphere has led one European diplomat to quip ironically, “It’s very difficult. Maybe we should wait for the G8,” referencing Trump’s suggestion that Russia—suspended from the group in 2014 over its seizure of Crimea—might be reintegrated into the forum.
Nowhere have the challenges for US allies been more pronounced than in Canada. Relations between Washington and Ottawa have hit a historic low, with Trump threatening to impose tariffs on all Canadian imports and even considering incorporating Canada as the “51st US state.” However, Rubio sought to downplay the tensions.
We’re going to be focused in the G7 on all of those things. That’s what the meeting is about. It is not a meeting about how we’re going to take over Canada.
Meanwhile, Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly vowed to take an assertive stance at the G7, stating, “In every single meeting, I will raise the issue of tariffs to coordinate a response with the Europeans and to put pressure on the Americans.”
European diplomats have expressed hope that the G7 meeting will provide an opportunity to gauge the extent of Rubio’s influence over US foreign policy. Trump’s reliance on officials outside the State Department for key negotiations—ranging from Ukraine to the Middle East—has raised concerns among allies, particularly given the unpredictable nature of some US statements.
As the G7 ministers navigate the complex issues, the meeting in La Malbaie highlights the growing fissures within the group and the challenges of maintaining unity in an era of shifting alliances and rising geopolitical tensions.
