G-7 ministers press US for fair Ukraine deal, warn against Iran escalation

PARIS – Top diplomats from the Group of Seven (G-7) industrialised nations began a two-day meeting in Paris on Nov 9, with European foreign ministers set to press US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to ensure any settlement of Russia’s war in Ukraine is fair to Kyiv and to avoid further escalation with Iran.The meeting of ministers from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States provides Europe and its allies with a chance to air concerns with their US counterpart.Russia’s war against Ukraine following the February 2022 full-scale invasion of its neighbour is grinding towards its fifth anniversary. And Washington is still not ruling out new attacks against Iran even after the defeat of President Donald Trump’s Republicans in last week’s midterm elections.The meeting coincides with US-mediated talks with Moscow and Kyiv in Abu Dhabi, scheduled for Nov 10 and 11, on ending the Ukraine war.Europe is concerned that Kyiv risks being forced to accept disadvantageous conditions, and that the US could offer Russia new security guarantees over the heads of the Europeans.“For Europe, it is clear: We do not need to establish a new security architecture for Europe,” said German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul as he headed to the talks, adding Europe “must have a place at the table”.French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Nov 8 that Europeans would be represented at the Abu Dhabi talks, with France also participating.Trump stoked fears of a US pivot towards the Kremlin by predicting a “very big” deal with Russia involving not only Ukraine but “all of Europe”.But before leaving for Paris, Rubio said the post-war security infrastructure of Europe is “one of the key topics that’s been raised repeatedly in every conversation any time negotiations have been discussed”.“We obviously have to get past the conflict to get to that point,” he noted.Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga will be joining the talks in Paris for a session on Ukraine on Nov 10.He wrote on X that his focus would be on “steps towards de-escalation and peace, stronger protection of Ukrainian skies, more pressure on the aggressor, and freedom of navigation in the Black Sea”.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Nov 9 he spoke with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen to coordinate positions with the bloc ahead of the talks in Abu Dhabi.On the sidelines of the Paris meeting, G-7 member Canada announced on Nov 9 fresh sanctions on Russia.It added 38 entities and 24 individuals to its list of over 3,500 sanctioned targets “to further reduce Russia’s military capabilities”.Iran escalation fearedOn Iran, Trump has not ruled out new strikes, including at so-called Pickaxe Mountain, a suspected nuclear site that Tehran denies is such a facility.Europeans, however, are eager to see a resolution and shipping traffic return to normal in the Strait of Hormuz energy transit hub.Trump allayed some fears by telling CNN it was “highly unlikely” that fighting would resume.“We certainly cannot afford any military escalation at this point,” said Wadephul, adding the G-7 talks would “focus on identifying ways to ensure it is indeed avoided”.Rubio warned, however, that there had been “no progress” in talks with Iran whose demands he said were “simply not just unacceptable but, in some cases, outrageous and ridiculous and really not realistic”.The ministerial meeting, one of the final acts of the French G-7 presidency, had been scheduled to be held in the southern port city of Marseille.But at the last minute the event was moved to Paris, with only scheduling reasons given for the change.“Welcome to Marseille,” said Barrot in his opening remarks to fellow ministers before correcting himself to laughter.The visit by Rubio – seen by US media as a potential candidate to succeed Trump – is his first abroad since the midterms. Washington will in 2027 take over the G-7 presidency from France. AFP