Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven nations are gathering in southern Ontario as strains deepen between the United States and key allies over defence spending, trade disputes, and uncertainty surrounding President Donald Trumps Gaza ceasefire proposal and efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
Top diplomats from theGroup of Sevenindustrialised democracies are converging on southern Ontario as tensions rise between the United States and traditional allies such as Canada over defence spending, trade, and uncertainty surrounding President Donald Trumps ceasefire plan in Gaza and efforts to end the RussiaUkraine war.
Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand said in an interview withThe Associated Pressthat the relationship has to continue across a range of issues despite trade pressures, as she prepared to host US Secretary of StateMarco Rubioand their counterparts from Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Anand also invited the foreign ministers of Australia, Brazil, India, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, South Korea, South Africa, and Ukraine.
Anand said critical priorities of discussion on Tuesday night include talks on advancing long-term peace and stability in the Middle East.
The peace plan must be upheld, Anand said.
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The diplomats will meet with Ukraines foreign minister early Wednesday. Britain said it would send 13 million ($17 million) to help restore Ukraines energy infrastructure as winter approaches. The funds will go towards repairs to power, heating, and water supplies, as well as humanitarian support for Ukrainians.
UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper made the announcement ahead of the meeting, saying Russian President Vladimir Putin is trying to plunge Ukraine into darkness and the cold as winter approaches, but that British support would help keep the lights and heating on.
Canadas G7 hosting duties this year have been marked by strained relations with its North American neighbour, primarily over Trumps imposition of tariffs on Canadian imports. But the entire bloc of allies is facing turbulence over the Republican presidents demands on trade and his various proposals to halt global conflicts.
One major point of contention has been defence spending. All G7 members except Japan are members of NATO, and Trump has demanded that alliance partners spend 5% of their annual gross domestic product on defence. While several countries have agreed, others have not. Among G7 NATO members, Canada and Italy are furthest from that goal.
Anand said Canadas recent budget includes C$80 billion (US$57 billion) in defence spending.
We are going to reach 2% this year and 5% of GDP by 2035, Anand said.
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There have also been G7 disagreements over the IsraelHamas war in Gaza, with Britain, Canada, and France announcing they would recognise a Palestinian state even without a resolution to the conflict. On Ukraine, most G7 members have taken a tougher line on Russia than Trump has.
The two-day meeting in Niagara-on-the-Lake, on Lake Ontario near the US border, follows Trumps decision to end trade talks with Canada after the Ontario provincial government ran an anti-tariff advertisement in the United States that angered him. That came after a spring of acrimony since abated over Trumps insistence that Canada should become the 51st US state.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney apologised for the advert and said last week that he is ready to resume trade talks when the Americans are prepared.
Anand said she would meet Rubio during the summit but noted that another minister handles the US trade file. The US president has placed greater emphasis on addressing his grievances with other nations trade policies than on collaboration with G7 allies.
Every complex relationship has numerous touch points, Anand said in the interview. On the trade file, there is continued work to be done just as there is work to be done on the numerous touch points outside the trade file, and thats where Secretary Rubio and I come in because the relationship has to continue across a range of issues.
Anand said Rubio had asked her during a breakfast meeting in Washington last month to play a role in bringing countries to the table to ensure that Trumps Gaza ceasefire plan endures, including through a future Gaza reconstruction conference.
US officials said Rubio, who may also meet with other G7 counterparts and at least one invited non-G7 foreign minister, would focus on initiatives to halt fighting in Ukraine and Gaza, maritime security, Haiti, Sudan, supply chain resilience, and critical minerals.
Canadas priorities include ending the war in Ukraine, Arctic security, and security in Haiti. There will also be a working lunch on energy and critical minerals needed for everything from smartphones to fighter jets. Canada has 34 critical minerals and metals that the Pentagon is eager to invest in for national security.
(FRANCE 24 with AP)
Originally published on France24
