G7 foreign ministers start talks in Quebec with Ukraine ceasefire, U.S. tariffs on the agenda

Dylan Robertson · The Canadian Press

· Posted: Mar 13, 2025 12:34 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 infinitesimal ago

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said Thursday she's focused connected moving with Canada's peers to code planetary challenges arsenic she welcomes her counterparts from the U.S., Europe and Japan to Quebec's Charlevoix region.

"We indispensable conscionable the moment," Joly said arsenic she opened the Group of Seven overseas ministers' meeting. "We should not beryllium daunted by the task."

While she said successful her opening remarks to the ministers that American tariffs would beryllium the absorption of her closed-door talks, Joly did not straight notation American economical coercion oregon U.S. President Donald Trump's calls for Canada's annexation.

Joly spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio individually earlier opening the G7 gathering Thursday morning.

The overseas curate are starting the gathering with a treatment of the 50-year-old G7's relation and large geopolitical blistery spots ranging from Ukraine to the Indo-Pacific.

The G7 started arsenic a forum to promote wide democracies to acceptable policies done statement successful effect to economical and societal challenges. The radical has acceptable the code for United Nations discussions and has been focused successful caller years connected Russia's warfare connected Ukraine.

Joly said the G7 has made strides precocious connected defending Ukrainian sovereignty and countering overseas interference operations.

But the radical faces increasing instability astir the satellite and a shifting geopolitical climate, particularly since Trump's instrumentality to the White House.

Trump has breached with allies who person tried to isolate Russia, portion besides pressing a commercialized warfare with Canada and Europe.

This week's gathering comes days aft Ukraine said it would beryllium consenting to judge a ceasefire if Russia agrees to definite conditions. In a connection issued precocious Wednesday, Joly said Canada welcomes a imaginable ceasefire and expects Russia to measurement up.

"With this agreement, Ukraine has erstwhile again shown its tendency to extremity the warfare arsenic soon arsenic possible, and its committedness to being a constructive partner," she wrote.

"Canada has helped champion these quality dimensions of peace, and we cannot hold much with the worth of a ceasefire, including specified elements arsenic captive exchanges, the merchandise of civilian detainees and of course, the instrumentality of Ukrainian children."

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov wouldn't remark connected Moscow's presumption of the ceasefire proposal.

WATCH | U.S. and Ukraine agreed to a ceasefire deal. Will Russia?

Yuri Ushakov, Russian President Vladimir Putin's overseas argumentation adviser, complained successful televised remarks Thursday that a ceasefire would assistance a "temporary interruption for the Ukrainian military."

Joly held bilateral talks Wednesday with her counterparts from the European Union, France and the U.K. Joly told reporters Wednesday that she'd usage "every azygous meeting" to propulsion backmost connected U.S. tariffs, saying they are aimed astatine annexing Canada.

Rubio said Wednesday that the G7 ministerial "is not a gathering astir however we're going to instrumentality implicit Canada."

So far, Ottawa's partners person mostly avoided nationalist remark connected Trump's ambitions to marque Canada a state.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock suggested Thursday greeting that G7 nations should debar panic.

"We person learned altogether successful these shaky geopolitical times … particularly successful moments erstwhile your bosom is truly beating, it's important to support a calm," Baerbock told reporters.

She added that the G7 has been "a powerhouse for freedom, for our communal knowing of peace."

Baerbock and the EU's overseas argumentation main utilized their covering choices to nonstop a connection of support.

Tagging Joly, Baerbock posted a photograph connected the level X of herself wearing achromatic alongside European Commission High Representative Kaja Kallas wearing red, with the words, "We've got your back" and a Canadian flag.

When asked wherefore helium hadn't spoken up astir Trump's menace to annex Canada, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said "the reply is precise clear. Canada volition beryllium Canada successful the future."

The ministers are scheduled to clasp an aboriginal day quality league Friday. It's not wide however this mightiness struggle with Friday morning's swearing-in of Liberal person Mark Carney arsenic premier minister, on with his cabinet.

Joly is expected to stay arsenic overseas curate and usually would beryllium attending the swearing-in astatine Rideau Hall, a six-hour thrust from the Charlevoix region.

Canada holds the rotating G7 presidency this twelvemonth and a nationalist leaders' acme is planned for June successful Alberta.