G7 foreign ministers opened two days of talks in Paris on Monday, 9 November, with the United States’ allies seeking clarity on Washington’s foreign policy after the Republicans’ heavy midterm losses. The G7 Paris talks put Ukraine, Iran, energy security and artificial intelligence on the table, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio facing his counterparts for the first time since the election changed the balance of power in Congress.
Read this story on Watan News: G7 Ministers Open Paris Talks as Allies Press US on Ukraine and Iran
FAKTA
- Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven industrialised democracies — the United States, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan — began two days of talks in Paris on Monday, 9 November, running through Tuesday, 10 November.
- The meeting, one of the final acts of the French G7 presidency, had long been scheduled for the southern port city of Marseille but was moved to Paris at the last minute, with only scheduling reasons given.
- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is attending in his first overseas trip since the midterm elections on 3 November, in which Democrats regained control of Congress.
- The agenda covers Ukraine, Iran, energy security, artificial intelligence and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea.
- France has invited Brazil, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Ukraine to take part in some discussions. The French hosts have signalled there will be no joint communique.
- Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are set to meet Ukrainian and Russian officials in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday and Wednesday to discuss ending the war in Ukraine.
- Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha is expected to attend a dedicated session on support for Ukraine on Tuesday, 10 November.
- In Washington on the same day, Stephen Miller takes over as White House chief of staff, replacing Susie Wiles, who moves to the Trump Political Operation. Trump announced the change on Friday, 6 November.
The G7 Paris Talks: What Is on the Agenda
The Paris meeting gives US allies their first opportunity since the midterm elections to discuss the Trump administration’s approach to foreign policy face to face. Whether on the Russia-Ukraine war, Iran or international organisations, the sides appeared far apart as the talks opened, although all agreed on the need to end the conflicts as quickly as possible.
Rubio was expected to face questions about whether the administration will shift its positions on Russia-Ukraine, the Iran conflict, energy security and artificial intelligence. The issues dominated discussions among the top diplomats on Monday and were expected to do so again on Tuesday. The French foreign ministry said there will be a meeting on artificial intelligence and a separate session on support for Ukraine.
The White House in Washington, where Stephen Miller takes over as chief of staff on Monday, the same day the G7 talks open in Paris.
Ukraine: No Deal Without Europe
On Ukraine, European ministers want the United States to back a fair settlement and to ensure Europe is part of any deal. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, who met Rubio separately on Monday, said he welcomed the Abu Dhabi talks but stressed that Europe “must have a place at the table”. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said Europeans will be represented at the Abu Dhabi talks, with France also participating.
Rubio said postwar security guarantees for Ukraine and the rest of Europe have been a top concern for allies. The meeting coincides with the US-mediated talks with Moscow and Kyiv in Abu Dhabi scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, with Europe concerned Kyiv must not be forced to accept disadvantageous conditions and that the US could offer Russia new security guarantees over the heads of the Europeans.
Iran: No Breakthrough, No Escalation
On Iran, Trump has not ruled out new strikes, including at a suspected nuclear site Tehran denies is such a facility. Wadephul said: “We certainly cannot afford any military escalation at this point,” adding the G7 talks would “focus on identifying ways to ensure it is indeed avoided”.
Rubio said the sides are not on “the verge of a breakthrough”, while repeating that Trump prefers a diplomatic solution. He described Iranian demands in the talks as “simply not just unacceptable but, in some cases, outrageous and ridiculous and really not realistic”. Qatari and other mediators have proposed an interim solution to end the deadlock over the conflict with Iran, which has sent fuel prices soaring amid instability in key shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea.
A New Chief of Staff in Washington
As the Paris talks opened, a change was also taking effect in Washington. Stephen Miller, 41, takes over as White House chief of staff on Monday, replacing Susie Wiles. Trump announced the change on Friday, 6 November, on Truth Social, saying Miller, “one of my most trusted advisors, will become the Chief of Staff starting Monday, November 9, 2026”, and that Wiles “will be moving over to the Trump Political Operation”.
Miller has served as White House deputy chief of staff for policy and as homeland security adviser since the start of Trump’s second administration in January 2025, and has been with Trump since 2015. Wiles, 69, was the first woman to serve as White House chief of staff and Trump’s longest-serving chief of staff; she offered her resignation on Thursday night. The change came three days after the midterm elections on 3 November, in which Democrats regained control of Congress.
What to Watch on Tuesday
The Paris talks continue on Tuesday, when ministers are expected to discuss support for Ukraine in more detail, with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha taking part, and to hold a session on artificial intelligence. At the same time, the US-mediated talks with Moscow and Kyiv open in Abu Dhabi. With no joint communique expected from Paris, the test of the meeting will be whether the allies leave with a shared position — or with the differences that opened the week still in place.
Conclusion
The Paris talks opened with allies asking the same question in two rooms at once: what does Washington do now? In Paris, Rubio must explain the administration’s direction on Ukraine and Iran to partners who want a say in both. In Washington, a new chief of staff takes over with a mandate to drive the agenda harder. The answers given in Paris this week will shape both.
