The G7 foreign ministers meeting in Canada demanded an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and pledged continued support for its territorial integrity while exploring measures — including leveraging immobilized Russian assets — to bolster Kyiv. Canada announced new sanctions on cyber actors and vessels tied to Russia's "shadow fleet," and the UK committed £13 million to repair Ukraine's energy system. The G7 also condemned escalating violence in Sudan, urged a permanent ceasefire, and called for unfettered humanitarian access. Delegates raised concerns about U.S. military activity in the Caribbean and noted lingering trade tensions between the U.S. and Canada.
G7 Urges Immediate Ceasefire in Ukraine, Steps Up Pressure on Russia and Sounds Alarm Over Sudan
The G7 foreign ministers meeting in Canada demanded an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and pledged continued support for its territorial integrity while exploring measures — including leveraging immobilized Russian assets — to bolster Kyiv. Canada announced new sanctions on cyber actors and vessels tied to Russia's "shadow fleet," and the UK committed £13 million to repair Ukraine's energy system. The G7 also condemned escalating violence in Sudan, urged a permanent ceasefire, and called for unfettered humanitarian access. Delegates raised concerns about U.S. military activity in the Caribbean and noted lingering trade tensions between the U.S. and Canada.
02:08 PM, 11/13/2025Conflict
G7 foreign ministers concluded their meeting in Canada by calling for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and warning of a deepening humanitarian catastrophe in Sudan.
Ukraine: Ceasefire call and measures to bolster Kyiv
In a joint declaration, ministers from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States reaffirmed their "unwavering support" for Ukraine's territorial integrity and said "an immediate ceasefire is urgently needed." The talks held near Niagara Falls explored a range of steps to increase support for Kyiv, including options to "further leverage immobilized Russian sovereign assets" held across G7 jurisdictions — a complex proposal under active discussion within the EU.
Ukraine's invited representative, Andriy Sybiha, told reporters the G7 must tighten pressure on President Vladimir Putin while strengthening Ukraine's capacity to defend itself. "Putin still has an illusion that he can win," Sybiha said, adding that the goal should be to make "the cost of continuing this war unbearable and dangerous for Putin personally and his regime." These strong remarks reflect Kyiv's push for both deterrence and sustained material support.
Canada announced targeted sanctions on entities it says support cyberattacks against Ukraine and on vessels believed to be part of Russia's "shadow fleet" — ships accused of transporting Russian oil in breach of sanctions. Ottawa described the measures as the first sanctions aimed specifically at the "IT infrastructure used in Russia's hybrid strategies against Ukraine." The United Kingdom pledged £13 million (about $17.1 million) to help repair Ukraine's damaged energy infrastructure, and several G7 partners discussed additional financial and logistical aid.
Sudan: Condemnation and humanitarian alarm
The ministers condemned the sharp escalation of violence in Sudan, calling the confrontation between the national army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) "the world's largest humanitarian crisis." The G7 urged both parties to de-escalate, commit to an immediate and permanent ceasefire, and ensure rapid, unimpeded delivery of humanitarian assistance.
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio urged international action to cut off weapons and other support to the RSF, blaming the paramilitary force for much of the recent bloodshed. Since the conflict erupted in April 2023, fighting has killed tens of thousands and displaced nearly 12 million people. The RSF's recent capture of El-Fasher, the last army stronghold in western Darfur, has been followed by reports of mass killings, heightening global concern for civilians.
Other diplomatic tensions: Caribbean, Venezuela and trade
At the opening of the talks, France's Jean-Noël Barrot warned about the potential consequences of a U.S. military deployment in the Caribbean, calling some operations "of concern" for potentially disregarding international law. The issue followed the movement of a U.S. carrier strike group into the region overseen by U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command.
Senator Rubio said that G7 partners did not raise concerns with him about Venezuela and denied reports that Britain had curtailed intelligence sharing. Rubio also held bilateral talks with Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand; the two did not press into U.S.-Canada trade disputes at the meeting. Anand said trade matters are handled by other cabinet ministers when questioned about tariffs affecting Canada.
Key takeaway: The G7 meeting combined urgent calls for de-escalation in two different crises — Ukraine and Sudan — while advancing targeted sanctions, exploring innovative funding options for Ukraine, and flagging regional tensions in the Caribbean and trade frictions between allies.