G7 Ministers Condemn Escalating Sudan Violence, Sidestep US-Canada Trade Dispute

Tensions between the United States and Canada briefly shadowed a G7 ministerial meeting in Niagara-on-the-Lake, following reports that an American political advert had angered former President Donald Trump. The episode came after a turbulent spring in which Trump suggested that Canada should become the 51st US state.

Canadian Defence Minister Anita Anand declined to engage on the controversy, stressing that her focus at the summit was on G7 priorities. She also clarified that trade discussions were not part of her meeting with US Senator Marco Rubio, noting that such matters fall under another minister’s portfolio.

Meanwhile, officials largely avoided the topic of Washington’s intensified military campaign against alleged drug-smuggling operations in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. The US says it has conducted 19 strikes since September, killing at least 75 people, though lawmakers have sought clarity on the legal grounds for the operations.

Rubio dismissed reports of friction with allies, asserting that intelligence-sharing and cooperation remain unaffected. “Nothing has changed or happened that has impeded in any way our ability to do what we’re doing,” he said.

The G7 ministers were united, however, in condemning the worsening conflict in Sudan. In a joint statement, they denounced the growing atrocities between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Rubio described the humanitarian crisis as “dire” and called for stronger efforts to stop the flow of weapons to the RSF.