Following talks in Canada, foreign ministers from the Group of Seven industrialised democracies publicly showed their consensus on Ukraine and Sudan on Wednesday, but stayed away from contentious issues like the US military strikes on boats in the Caribbean and trade.
The G7 ministers said in a joint statement at the conclusion of the two-day gathering that they are increasing the economic costs to Russia and exploring measures against those who finance Russia’s war efforts.
Canada announced more sanctions against Russia, including targeting those involved in the development and deployment of drones, and Britain, a day earlier, pledged money for Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio made no immediate announcements about new US initiatives but said on social media that the meeting delved into ways “to strengthen Ukraine’s defense and find an end to this bloody conflict.”
“We are doing whatever is necessary to support Ukraine,” Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand said.
Trade and US military strikes not discussed
The entire bloc of allies is confronting major turbulence over US President Donald Trump’s demands on trade, especially his imposition of various tariffs.
Trump recently ended trade talks with Canada because the Ontario provincial government ran an anti-tariff advertisement in the US that upset him.
Anand declined to talk about the trade dispute.
“I am here to talk about the work that the G7 ministers are doing,” she said. “And that is exactly what I think I should be discussing.”
Anand met with Rubio, but said she did not bring up trade talks, noting that a different minister leads the trade issue.
Rubio told reporters that recent US military strikes in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean also didn’t come up.
He said questions about the military campaign and intelligence sharing in support of the operations were not raised with him at all by any of his G7 or other counterparts on Wednesday.
“It didn’t come up once,” Rubio said.
He also denied a report that Britain has stopped sharing intelligence.
“Again, nothing has changed or happened that has impeded in any way our ability to do what we’re doing. Nor are we asking anyone to help us with what we’re doing — in any realm. And that includes military,” Rubio said.
Strong statements on Sudan
In their joint statement, the G7 ministers also strongly condemned the recent escalation of violence in war-torn Sudan, and Rubio decried the humanitarian situation and said “something needs to be done” to cut off the weapons and other support that the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces are receiving as they battle the Sudanese army.
Asked by reporters about the role of the United Arab Emirates in the conflict, Rubio said the US knows who’s involved in supplying the RSF.
“I can just tell you, at the highest levels of our government, that case is being made and that pressure is being applied to the relevant parties,” Rubio said, without naming any country. “This needs to stop. I mean, they’re clearly receiving assistance from outside.”
US intelligence assessments for many months have found that the United Arab Emirates, a close US ally, has been sending weapons to the RSF. The UAE denies backing the RSF.
The G7 comprises Canada, the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Japan. Anand also invited the foreign ministers of Australia, Brazil, India, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, South Korea, South Africa and Ukraine to the meeting, which began Tuesday.
Additional sources • AP