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The G7 Foreign Ministers Summit opened Tuesday in Canada with “global peace and stability” as its main focus, according to Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand, who is hosting the two-day meeting in the Niagara Falls area.
The summit brings together the foreign ministers of Canada, the United States, France, Germany, Britain, Italy, and Japan, along with a representative from the European Union.
Anand said the discussions will focus on advancing long-term peace in the Middle East, strengthening security in the Indo-Pacific, and responding to urgent crises in Haiti and Sudan.
Anand emphasized the G7’s shared commitment to addressing violence in Sudan and Haiti and advancing a peace plan for Israel and Palestine, “with both living side by side in peace.”
She underscored that peace efforts “do not include the displacement of the Palestinian people.”
She added that countries with territory in the Arctic region agreed on the need to establish a collective “footprint” to safeguard regional stability.
A working dinner on global security was scheduled for Tuesday evening, where the escalating crisis in Sudan was expected to feature prominently.
Anand said Canada was “absolutely horrified” by the ongoing conflict, which has caused one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot voiced concern over “military operations” in the Caribbean, warning of instability as the United States deployed the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier to the region under the U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command.
“We have observed, with concern, military operations in the Caribbean region because they disregard international law,” Barrot said.
He urged G7 members to act “in concert” to address the global narcotics trade, adding that more than a million French citizens in the Caribbean could be affected by potential unrest.
The comments came amid tensions between Washington and Caracas. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro accused the Trump administration of “fabricating a war” and pursuing regime change under the guise of an anti-drugs campaign.
Ukraine’s situation also featured prominently at the summit.
The United Kingdom announced £13 million ($17.1 million) in funding to repair Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, which has been severely damaged by recent Russian attacks. London also imposed a maritime services ban on Russian liquid natural gas.
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said Russian President Vladimir Putin “is trying to plunge Ukraine into darkness and the cold as winter approaches,” adding that the G7 must remain united “in the face of Putin’s mindless aggression.”
Anand said she would meet bilaterally with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio before the summit concludes Wednesday. However, she noted that trade tensions between Canada and the U.S. would not be part of the discussions, as those matters are being handled “by other ministers.”
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