Representatives of the world’s wealthiest democracies convene in France for G7 talks as U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio travels to shore up hesitant allies for the Trump administration’s campaign against Iran. Rubio’s trip follows President Trump’s declaration of a new deadline — giving Iran until April 6 to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face the destruction of its power plants — and the president’s sharp criticism of NATO for not helping when he sought assistance to reopen the vital waterway.
“Talks are ongoing and, despite erroneous statements to the contrary by the Fake News Media, and others, they are going very well,” Trump said, while warning NATO it would be remembered for not answering his call for help, even as he insisted the United States did not truly need their support.
European leaders say they were not notified in advance of Trump’s plans and are reluctant to join what many fear could become a protracted conflict. Germany’s defense minister bluntly said Washington has “no exit strategy.” Rubio told reporters before departing that other countries should “step up” to confront the Strait of Hormuz blockade, arguing that although little U.S. energy moves through the strait, the global economy has a large stake in keeping it open.
Foreign ministers from Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada and the European Union are meeting in France with Iran expected to dominate the agenda. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the G7 would seek ways to drive de-escalation in the Middle East while also addressing the linked threat from Russia’s war in Ukraine. The United States has largely left Europe to contend with Russian aggression, even excluding Europeans from some peace discussions; Ukrainian officials report Russia launched more than a thousand drones at Ukraine this week.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a surprise trip to Saudi Arabia, saying Ukraine’s drone expertise could help Gulf states’ security. He said meetings were planned and thanked partners prepared to work with Ukraine. Zelensky highlighted Ukraine’s experience integrating drones with radars, aviation and air defenses, and told Le Monde he would seek assistance for his country’s war in return, including access to air-defense missiles held by Middle Eastern states.
Despite Trump’s public mention of pursuing negotiations — with Pakistan reportedly acting as an intermediary — strikes continued across the region. The Israel Defense Forces said it struck ballistic missile production sites and air-defense systems across Iran, announcing on X that attacks targeted infrastructure used to produce weapons, particularly ballistic missile facilities, along with launchers and missile storage sites that posed threats to Israel.
On the Lebanese front, the Israeli military ordered another forced evacuation as it pushed north against Hezbollah, and Israel reported incoming missiles from Iran. The Gulf felt collateral impacts: Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps said it struck U.S. bases in the UAE, Bahrain and Kuwait with missiles and drones. Kuwait reported a drone attack on its port; sirens sounded in Bahrain and Qatar, briefly raising security alerts.
The fighting and Iran’s near-blockade of the Strait of Hormuz — a passage for roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil — have rattled global markets. Wall Street posted its biggest single-day decline since the conflict began as oil prices spiked and Asian shares mostly fell. Asian countries, heavily dependent on oil transiting the strait, have begun contingency planning: reports say Japan may temporarily loosen restrictions on coal-fired plants; Vietnam has waived an environmental fuel tax to cut gasoline prices by about 25 percent; and the Philippines declared a national energy emergency amid transport worker protests.
Finland’s President Alexander Stubb warned the Iran war could trigger a global recession worse than the COVID-19 pandemic. The widening rift between the United States and its European partners, continued military strikes across the region, and mounting economic pain tied to energy supply disruptions are expected to dominate diplomatic efforts at the G7 and beyond.
Eleanor Beardsley in Paris, Emily Feng in Van, Turkey, Michael Sullivan in Chiang Rai, Thailand, and Kate Bartlett in Johannesburg contributed to this report.