Top diplomats from the Group of Seven (G7) nations met in the Niagara region to address global challenges. Despite the meeting, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand did not discuss the stalled trade negotiations with the United States. Anand and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio engaged in various topics like Ukraine, the Middle East, Haiti, and Arctic sovereignty during their sideline conversation at the summit. Anand clarified that the Canada-U.S. trade matters are handled by Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc, emphasizing LeBlanc’s continuous efforts in that regard.
Following Ontario’s ad campaign quoting former U.S. President Ronald Reagan criticizing tariffs, President Donald Trump halted trade talks with Canada last month. Despite Prime Minister Mark Carney’s apology and amicable interactions with Trump, trade negotiations have not resumed. Anand, concluding Canada’s G7 presidency, advocated for multilateralism and building new trade partnerships in response to the ongoing tariff issues with the U.S. Additionally, she extended invitations to other countries like Australia, Brazil, India, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and South Korea to participate in discussions.
However, the shadow of U.S. strikes on boats in the Caribbean loomed over the two-day G7 meeting in Niagara-on-the-Lake. U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth confirmed additional casualties in the recent strike, bringing the death toll to 76, with the U.S. targeting alleged narcotics traffickers without publicly presenting evidence.
Reports emerged that the United Kingdom ceased sharing intelligence with the U.S. on suspected traffickers due to legal concerns surrounding the strikes. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, present at the G7, also criticized the U.S. actions as violating international law. While Canada continues sharing intelligence through Operation Caribbe to combat drug trafficking, Anand clarified that they are not involved in the controversial strikes.
As the G7 meeting concluded, the foreign ministers issued a joint statement addressing various geopolitical challenges, including support for Ukraine and concerns about the fragile ceasefire in Gaza and security in the Indo-Pacific region. The statement reaffirmed the commitment to not changing international borders by force.
On the subject of Russia, ongoing attacks have led to power disruptions in Ukraine, with diplomatic efforts for a ceasefire stalled. Rubio’s criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin contrasts with Trump’s inconsistent stance on the conflict. Previous G7 summits failed to produce a joint statement on Ukraine due to Trump’s early departure to address tensions between Israel and Iran. Sanctions on Russia, particularly targeting its oil sector and entities involved in drone and cyber attacks on Ukraine, signify a collective effort by G7 nations to increase economic pressure on Russia.