US wants no G7 Russia antagonism as allies fear blockage

11/3/2025 11:45

The U.S. opposes language that could harm its efforts to bring Russia and Ukraine to the negotiating table, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday, as Washington wrangled with G7 allies ahead of a meeting this week, further alarming them.



The foreign ministers of the Group of Seven major democracies - Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States - will meet in the river resort of La Malbaie, Quebec on March 12-14 for the first time since President Donald Trump returned to power in January.



While the G7 meetings have been consensual since Russia's membership was suspended in March 2014 in response to its annexation of Crimea, underscoring their steadfast backing for Ukraine, Trump has upended Western unity by drawing the U.S. closer to Moscow while heaping criticism on Kyiv.

According to four G7 diplomats, Canada had initially hoped the seven would agree on an overall statement ranging from the war in Ukraine to the Middle East and China and a second declaration that would outline the G7's efforts to curb Russia's so-called shadow fleet.



Shadow fleet refers to vessels used by Russia to move oil, arms and grains around in violation of international sanctions imposed on it over the Ukraine war. The vessels are not regulated or insured by conventional Western providers.



Almost two pages out of eight in the last G7 statement in November were focused entirely on Ukraine, mostly taking aim at Russia.