Rubio to meet G7 allies in Paris over Iran, Ukraine and AI

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet his counterparts from the Group of 7 industrialized democracies on Monday in Paris. The two days of talks will cover unresolved world crises and questions about President Donald Trump's foreign policy after his Republican Party's losses in the midterm elections.

The talks involve the United States, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan. They coincide with major protests across Europe, including demonstrations in the French capital.

“they, too, have experienced divisions in government and divisions in their own system”

The Russia-Ukraine war, the Iran conflict, energy and artificial intelligence are among the main topics for discussion. U.S. allies are eager to hear how Trump plans to proceed on each issue.

This trip is Rubio's first foreign venture since the midterm elections dealt Trump's party severe losses and cost the GOP control of Congress. Partly because of deeply unpopular policies like the Iran war, the Republican Party lost its congressional majority.

Asked about allies wanting to know what comes next after the elections, Rubio told reporters that the countries he is meeting with this week understand American politics and have also experienced divisions in government and in their own system.

There has been little sign that the Democrats' gains will affect Trump's strategy. His first major personnel decision installed hard-line supporter Stephen Miller as chief of staff, who has advocated extreme positions on both domestic and foreign policy.

Trump has floated the idea of a partnership with Europe to bring Russia's war in Ukraine to an end. The president's envoys, Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner, are set to meet both Ukrainian and Russian officials in Abu Dhabi this week to discuss potential compromises.