Ukraine Ceasefire Bid, Trade War To Dominate As G7 Diplomats Meet

Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir) Published March 13, 2025 | 11:00 AM

Charlevoix, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 13th Mar, 2025) US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to meet his Canadian counterpart at a G7 gathering Thursday, but discussion of American annexation threats has been ruled off-limits at talks expected to be dominated by efforts to agree a ceasefire in Ukraine.

Rubio arrived in the town of Charlevoix on the banks of the St. Lawrence River on Wednesday for meetings with foreign ministers from the club of the world's industrialized democracies.

He is expected to brief on the US-led effort to pause three years of bloodshed in the Russia-Ukraine war, after meeting envoys from Kyiv in the Saudi port town of Jeddah earlier in the week.

President Donald Trump has voiced hope that US negotiators in Moscow will be able to secure a ceasefire, with officials saying the United States wants Russia to agree to an unconditional halt to hostilities.

The Kremlin has said it was awaiting details of a proposed truce, while Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country was ready to embrace a deal, and the United States had indicated it would issue a "strong" response if Russia refuses an accord.

British Foreign Minister David Lammy said the G7 needs to focus on "ensuring Ukraine is in the strongest possible position to secure a just and lasting peace."

Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said she expected her talks with Rubio will be centered on "Ukraine and the ceasefire that's on the table."