VAUX-DE-CERNAY, MARCH 27
Top diplomats from the Group of Seven countries showed divisions over the Iran war but agreed to call for an immediate halt to attacks against civilian populations and infrastructure after meeting Friday in France.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio joined his G7 counterparts a day after President Donald Trump lobbed his latest round of insults at NATO countries, making it even more difficult for America's top diplomat to try to sell the U.S. strategy for the Iran conflict to close allies. Trump has repeatedly complained that allies have ignored or rejected requests for help confronting Tehran's retaliation, including the closure of the Strait of Hormuz to most international shipping.
Most of America's closest allies have greeted the Iran war with deep skepticism, which was on display as the G7 foreign ministers gathered at a historic 12th century abbey in Vaux-de-Cernay, outside Paris, even as they urged a diplomatic solution. Four weeks into the war that the U.S. and Israel launched, the allies face concerns about instability in the oil markets and uncertainty over potential negotiations to end the crisis.
Several EU countries, now grappling with economic consequences of the war, have said they were not consulted by the U.S. before it launched its military actions in Iran. French Minister of the Armed Forces Catherine Vautrin said Friday that the war "is not ours," adding that France's position is strictly defensive.
"The aim is truly this diplomatic approach, which is the only one that can guarantee a return to peace," she said on Europe 1 and CNews.
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said Britain also favored a diplomatic path, acknowledging differences with the United States.
"We have taken the approach of supporting defensive action, but also we've taken a different approach on the offensive action that has taken place as part of this conflict," she said.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said he made "our position clear, namely that there is certainly a readiness on Germany's part to play a role after the end of hostilities when it comes to ensuring the security of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz."
He said his interest is "to broaden what we have as a common basis" regarding the conflict in the Middle East.
G7 diplomats agree to call for halt to attacks on civilians
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said after the meeting that they adopted a declaration calling for the "immediate cessation" of attacks against civilian populations and infrastructure during the Iran war.
"Nothing justifies deliberately targeting civilians during armed conflicts, nor carrying out attacks against diplomatic facilities," Barrot told reporters, saying the declaration "also reaffirms the absolute necessity of permanently restoring free and safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz."
Echoing Wadephul's comments, Barrot said that once U.S. military objectives have been achieved, escort missions could "provide the necessary security so that ship traffic can resume as quickly as possible."
"You can clearly see that with each passing day, the situation is worsening due to the lack of ship traffic from the Persian Gulf to the rest of the world," he said.
Barrot added that Rubio, like others in the discussions, "wants that once the United States' military objectives have been achieved, maritime security and freedom of navigation can be ensured in the Strait of Hormuz, as in all international waters around the world."
Trump's criticism of NATO countries makes Iran war a harder sell for Rubio
Trump has complained that NATO countries were not stepping up to help against Iran and that they and other allies have rejected his calls to take a role in securing the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran's chokehold has disrupted oil shipments and pushed up energy prices.
"We are very disappointed with NATO because NATO has done absolutely nothing," Trump said during a Cabinet meeting Thursday.
Of the G7 nations - besides the U.S. - Britain, Canada, France, Germany and Italy are members of the trans-Atlantic military alliance. Japan is the only one that is not.
"We're there to protect NATO, to protect them from Russia. But they're not there to protect us," Trump added.
Russia's war in Ukraine also was a major topic at the G7 meeting, with U.S.-brokered talks persisting but making no breakthroughs and allies concerned that the new conflict in the Middle East will divert U.S. attention from a commitment to Ukraine.
Wadephul, the German foreign minister, said he made clear at the meeting that "there must be no cuts when it comes to maintaining Ukraine's defense capability."
Rubio said in a post on X with a photo of him meeting with other G7 diplomats that he "reiterated that President Trump is committed to reaching a ceasefire and negotiated settlement to the Russia-Ukraine war as soon as possible."
Rubio, who chatted briefly with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, also still has work to do to smooth things over with allies like those in Europe that have faced criticism or outright threats from Trump and others in his Republican administration.
The Europeans are still smarting over Trump's earlier demands to take over Greenland from NATO ally Denmark and are concerned about U.S. support for Ukraine in its war with Russia. The conflict in the Middle East has added another point of tension.
"Frankly, I think countries around the world, even those that are out there complaining about this a little bit, should actually be grateful that the United States has a president that's willing to confront a threat like this," Rubio said Thursday.
G7 host France has been skeptical of the Iran war
France hosted the G7 meeting near Versailles and has been highly skeptical of the war. Besides Vautrin's comments on Friday, the chief of the French defense staff, Gen. Fabien Mandon, complained this week that U.S. allies had not been informed about the start of hostilities.
"They have just decided to intervene in the Near and Middle East without notifying us," Mandon said, lamenting that the U.S. "is less and less predictable and doesn't even bother to inform us when it decides to engage in military operations."
However, 35 countries joined military talks hosted by Mandon on how to reopen the Strait of Hormuz "once the intensity of hostilities has sufficiently decreased," France's Defense Ministry said.
France has bases in the region and has bolstered its military presence in the Middle East since the start of the war, dispatching an aircraft carrier and other warships.