G7 Unites on Ukraine, Sidesteps US Military Strikes and Trade Disputes

Top diplomats from the Group of Seven (G7) industrialized democracies presented a united front on Ukraine and Sudan on Wednesday but avoided discussion of divisive issues such as recent US military strikes in the Caribbean and ongoing trade tensions.

Meeting in Niagara-on-the-Lake, near the US border, the foreign ministers convened with Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, who appealed for continued support as Russia’s escalating aerial assaults plunge his country into rolling blackouts.

“We have to move forward to pressure Russia, to raise the price for the aggression, for Russia, for [President Vladimir] Putin, to end this war,” Sybiha said.

In a joint statement at the end of the two-day summit, the G7 ministers pledged to tighten economic sanctions against Russia and explore measures targeting entities financing its war efforts. Canada announced new sanctions on individuals linked to Russia’s drone programs, while Britain earlier pledged funding to help restore Ukraine’s battered energy infrastructure.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio refrained from announcing new American initiatives but said on social media that the discussions focused on “strengthening Ukraine’s defense and finding an end to this bloody conflict.”

“We are doing whatever is necessary to support Ukraine,” said Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand.

The meeting came amid renewed strains in US-Canada relations after President Donald Trump abruptly halted trade talks with Ottawa. The move followed an Ontario government ad campaign in the US criticizing American tariffs — a decision that reportedly angered Trump. The dispute added to earlier tensions over Trump’s suggestion that Canada should “become the 51st US state.”

Anand declined to discuss the trade rift. “I am here to talk about the work that the G7 ministers are doing,” she said, noting that trade falls under a different portfolio.

US Strikes in Caribbean ‘Didn’t Come Up’

The Trump administration has confirmed at least 75 deaths in 19 US military strikes targeting suspected drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific since September. Members of Congress have pressed for greater transparency on the legal basis and targets of the campaign.

However, Rubio told reporters that neither the strikes nor related intelligence-sharing questions were raised by his G7 counterparts. “It didn’t come up once,” he said, dismissing reports that Britain had stopped sharing intelligence.

“Nothing has changed or happened that impedes our ability to operate,” Rubio added. “Nor are we asking anyone to help us — in any realm, including military.”

The G7 — comprising Canada, the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Japan — also invited ministers from Australia, Brazil, India, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, South Korea, South Africa and Ukraine to the gathering, which began Tuesday.