G7 ministers meet in Canada for talks on Ukraine and Gaza's future

Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) leading industrialized democracies are set to meet in Canada to discuss the war in Ukraine and efforts to advance the peace plan for the Gaza Strip on the second day of their gathering.

The talks are taking place in Niagara-on-the-Lake, in Canada's south-eastern province of Ontario, where Wednesday's agenda includes a working session on Ukraine.

Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan is also due to take part in discussions on Gaza's future.

The G7 comprises Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. Canada, which currently holds the rotating presidency, is hosting the group's foreign ministers for the second time this year.

Observers are waiting to see whether US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his counterparts can align on a common approach to ending Russia's war in Ukraine, which started in 2022.

The G7 made little headway at its leaders' summit in the Canadian Rocky Mountains earlier this year, when US President Donald Trump expressed skepticism about tougher sanctions on Russia sought by European allies.

The Trump administration has since shifted course, recently imposing new sanctions against Moscow for the first time in the US president's second term in office.

According to Germany's Foreign Office, the ministers will also discuss the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, China's actions in the Indo-Pacific, maritime and energy security, and access to critical raw materials such as rare earths.