Representatives of the world’s wealthiest democracies gathered in France for a G7 foreign ministers’ meeting as U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio sought to shore up reluctant allies for the Trump administration’s campaign against Iran.
The trip followed President Trump’s announcement of a new deadline — April 6 — for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, warning that Iran would otherwise face destruction of its power plants. Trump said talks were “going very well” despite media skepticism and again criticized NATO for not aiding the U.S. when he asked for help reopening the waterway, warning the alliance that the U.S. would “never forget” their response.
European governments say they were not briefed on Trump’s plans in advance and have little appetite for entering a potentially protracted conflict. Germany’s defense minister this week criticized Washington for having “no exit strategy.” Rubio urged other countries to “step up” given the global interest in keeping the Hormuz corridor open, saying little of U.S. energy supplies flows through the strait but the world depends on it.
At the G7 meeting, diplomats from Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada and the EU focused on efforts to drive de-escalation in the Middle East while noting the link between that conflict and Russia’s war in Ukraine. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the group would discuss de-escalation “as the war’s consequences are felt severely worldwide,” and added that “we can’t overlook Ukraine,” referencing continued Russian drone attacks on Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a surprise trip to Saudi Arabia, offering Ukraine’s experience with drones and integration of air defenses as a contribution to Gulf security. He said Ukraine sought reciprocal assistance, including air defense missiles, and hoped Gulf states would help strengthen Ukraine in return.
Despite reported negotiations — with Pakistan acting as an intermediary — strikes continued across the region. The Israel Defense Forces said it struck ballistic missile production sites and air-defense systems in Iran, targeting infrastructure used to produce weapons and sites that posed a threat to Israel. Israel also reported incoming missiles from Iran and continued operations in Lebanon, issuing evacuation orders as it presses north against Hezbollah positions.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it struck U.S. bases in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait with missiles and drones. Kuwait reported a drone attack on its port; sirens sounded in Bahrain, and Qatar briefly raised its security alert.
The conflict and Iran’s effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz — through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil flows — have rattled global markets and economies. Wall Street suffered its largest daily drop since the war began as oil prices surged; Asian equities mostly fell. Asian importers dependent on supplies through Hormuz have begun contingency measures: reports said Japan may temporarily ease restrictions on coal-fired power plants, Vietnam waived an environmental fuel tax to cut gasoline prices, and the Philippines declared a national energy emergency amid transport worker protests.
Finland’s president warned the war could trigger a global recession potentially worse than the coronavirus pandemic’s economic impact.
Reporting contributions were made from Paris, Van (Turkey), Chiang Rai (Thailand), and Johannesburg.