NIAGARA, Canada — The Foreign Ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) nations, alongside the European Union’s High Representative, concluded a two-day meeting in Niagara, Canada, on Wednesday, issuing a comprehensive joint statement that reaffirmed support for Ukraine and endorsed the latest peace efforts in the Middle East.
Meeting under Canada’s G7 Presidency, the ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States addressed a broad agenda spanning global security, economic resilience, and regional stability. They also welcomed the participation of foreign ministers from Brazil, India, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mexico, the Republic of Korea, South Africa, and Ukraine for discussions on critical minerals, energy security, and maritime prosperity.
Unwavering Support for Ukraine
The joint statement reiterated “unwavering support for Ukraine in defending its territorial integrity and right to exist.” The ministers stressed the urgent need for “an immediate ceasefire” and agreed that “the current line of contact should be the starting point of negotiations.”
The group signaled escalating economic pressure on Moscow. “We are increasing the economic costs to Russia, and exploring measures against countries and entities that are helping finance Russia’s war efforts,” the statement read.
They also sharply condemned nations providing military aid to Russia, citing “the provision to Russia of military assistance by DPRK and Iran, and the provision of weapons and dual-use components by China, a decisive enabler of Russia’s war.”
The ministers acknowledged ongoing discussions on leveraging “immobilised Russian Sovereign Assets in our jurisdictions in a coordinated way to support Ukraine.”
Middle East Peace and Iran
On the Gaza conflict, the G7 ministers offered “strong support for President Trump’s Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict,” welcoming the current ceasefire and the release of hostages.
While acknowledging “increased flows of aid,” the ministers voiced “concern about restrictions that remain in place.” They called for humanitarian assistance “without interference at scale, through the United Nations and its agencies, and the Red Crescent… as stipulated in President Trump’s plan.”
They urged all parties to “continue to engage constructively on the next steps outlined in the Comprehensive Plan, in pursuit of a political horizon for peaceful and prosperous co-existence for the Israeli and Palestinian peoples.”
The statement also called on Iran to “fully implement its obligations both under UN Security Council resolutions and the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons” and to resume “full cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency.”
Indo-Pacific Security Concerns
In the Indo-Pacific, the G7 reaffirmed the importance of a “free and open Indo-Pacific based on the rule of law.” They reiterated “strong opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in particular by force or coercion,” specifically mentioning the East China Sea and the South China Sea.
The ministers expressed “serious concern over the use of dangerous maneuvers and water cannons in the South China Sea” and emphasized the importance of the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal award as “a significant milestone, binding upon the parties.”
On Taiwan, the ministers underscored the “importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait” and encouraged a peaceful resolution through “constructive dialogue.” They also backed Taiwan’s “meaningful participation in appropriate international organizations.”
The G7 also raised concerns about China’s military expansion, stating: “We remain concerned about China’s military build-up and rapid increase of nuclear weapons arsenal and call on Beijing to demonstrate its commitment to stability through improved transparency.” North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs were “strongly condemned,” with the ministers also expressing “grave concern over the DPRK’s cryptocurrency thefts.”
Crisis Hotspots and Economic Resilience
Addressing global conflicts, the ministers condemned the escalating violence in Sudan by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), particularly the “ethnically-motivated” attacks in El Fasher, deploring the resulting “famine that has led to the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.” They called on the RSF and Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) to respect human rights and commit to an “immediate and permanent ceasefire.”
They also addressed the “ongoing violence and reports of human rights violations in eastern DRC” and stressed the need for voluntary support to implement the UN Security Council Resolution for Haiti.
Concluding their discussions on economic matters, the G7 committed to strengthening global supply chains, building on the Critical Minerals Action Plan. They expressed “particular concern with the use of non-market policies and practices to disrupt critical minerals supply chains,” and agreed to “pursue concrete initiatives, jointly with partners, to address vulnerabilities by reducing our dependencies, and strengthening our collective economic resilience and security.”
