The foreign ministers of the G7 group of industrialized nations are meeting in Canada as US President Trump threatens the European group with 200 percent retaliatory tariffs after it slaps tariffs on Canada.
US Secretary of State Rubio met with his counterpart Julie on his arrival in Quebec from Saudi Arabia just hours after President Trump imposed tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum.
Trump has said the US will impose a 200 percent tariff on European wine if the EU does not back down from imposing tariffs on US whiskey in retaliation for the steel and aluminum tariffs.
Relations between the US and its close European allies are already strained over Trump’s response to the three-year war between Russia and Ukraine.
Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Jolie said that peace and stability are at the top of the agenda for the conference. And I look forward to discussing how we can help Ukraine confront Russia’s illegal aggression.
She also said that of course we also want to promote long-term stability in the Middle East.
The Associated Press reported that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is likely to hear complaints during his meetings with the foreign ministers of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan over the next two days.
In Saudi Arabia, Rubio had reached an agreement with Ukraine for a 30-day ceasefire that needs Russian approval.
Canadian Foreign Minister Jolie, the host of the G7 conference, made it clear that her country would not back down.
President Trump is addressing a session of Congress. In his speech, he explained the tariffs for fair trade in his speech. March 4, 2025
Ahead of the conference, Jolie said that in each meeting, she will raise the issue of tariffs to coordinate the response with the Europeans and to put pressure on the United States. She added that Trump’s talk of a 51st state is insulting.
US Secretary of State Rubio dismissed the remarks, saying that the president is just saying what he thinks is a good idea.
Regarding tariffs, Rubio said that G7 partners should understand that this is a policy decision by President Trump to protect American competitiveness.
On a trip to Canada, Rubio made a brief stop in Ireland on Wednesday, where he told reporters that “we can constructively address all of the issues in dialogue with our allies and friends and partners, on which we work together. I expect the same from the G7 and Canada.”
The agenda of the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Conference is expected to include discussions on China, the Indo-Pacific, Ukraine and the stability of the United States, including Europe, the Middle East, maritime security, Africa, North Korea, Iran and Russia.
