US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has arrived in France for a meeting with foreign ministers from the Group of Seven major industrialised democracies. The discussions are expected to cover the wars in Ukraine and Iran, energy security and artificial intelligence. The meeting also comes at a sensitive time for President Donald Trump, whose Republican Party suffered major losses in the recent US midterm elections.
The talks in Paris will bring together ministers from the United States, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan. The discussions are scheduled to continue for two days. Several allies are expected to seek clarity about the direction of US foreign policy after the election results changed the balance of power in Congress.
Rubio’s trip is his first overseas visit since the midterm elections. The Republican defeat has raised questions about the administration’s approach to international affairs, particularly its handling of the Iran conflict and support for Ukraine. Some US allies are concerned that political pressure at home could affect Washington’s decisions abroad.
The war in Ukraine is expected to be a major subject. US representatives are preparing for further talks involving Ukrainian and Russian officials in Abu Dhabi. Rubio said that security guarantees for Ukraine and other European countries remain important to America’s allies. However, no final agreement has been reached, and European governments want to make sure they are involved in decisions that could affect their security.
The conflict involving Iran will also feature heavily in the discussions. The fighting has disrupted important shipping routes and pushed energy prices higher. Qatar and other mediators have tried to bring the sides closer, but Rubio said negotiations had made limited progress. He described some of Iran’s demands as unacceptable and said a breakthrough was not close.
The G7 meeting may also reveal differences among the participating countries. France has indicated that the talks may not end with a joint statement, reflecting disagreements over several international issues. Other subjects include energy prices, artificial intelligence, humanitarian support and the future of the international rules-based system.
For Rubio, the meeting is an opportunity to explain the administration’s position and reassure allies that Washington remains engaged. For the other G7 members, it is a chance to understand how the US election result could influence cooperation on major global challenges.
