NIAGARA FALLS, CANADA — Geopolitical tensions in the Caribbean cast a long shadow over the opening of the G7 summit on Tuesday, as France issued a rare public rebuke of recent military escalations in the region. The warning comes amid a sharp uptick in U.S. naval deployments and growing unease over potential regional destabilization.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, speaking to journalists at the summit’s first session, urged restraint and multilateral dialogue. “The current military maneuvers unfolding in the Caribbean raise serious legal and diplomatic concerns,” Barrot said, alluding to recent U.S. naval movements without naming Washington directly. “Escalations of this nature threaten to inflame a region already on edge.”
Barrot’s remarks followed the arrival of the USS Gerald R. Ford strike group into operational waters under U.S. Southern Command—an area covering both the Caribbean and Latin America. Officially, the United States continues to frame the deployment as part of a narcotics interdiction mission, but observers note the scale and timing of the operation suggest broader strategic ambitions.
Venezuela has accused the U.S. of stoking confrontation under the guise of law enforcement, warning that such deployments risk “irreversible conflict.” President Nicolás Maduro characterized the maneuvers as part of a covert campaign aimed at regime destabilization.
France, which maintains overseas territories and over a million nationals in the Caribbean basin, emphasized the need for diplomacy over demonstrations of force. “We cannot risk turning this region into another theater of great-power friction,” Barrot said.
Crisis Diplomacy: Ukraine and Sudan Take Center Stage
Meanwhile, G7 discussions are also focused on two intensifying international crises: the war in Ukraine and the spiraling humanitarian catastrophe in Sudan.
Canada, the summit’s host, reiterated its commitment to Ukrainian sovereignty but stopped short of pledging new defense contributions. Foreign Minister Anita Anand acknowledged that support for Kyiv would dominate the agenda but emphasized that outcomes would likely lean toward coordination rather than concrete pledges.
The United Kingdom, by contrast, announced £13 million in emergency assistance for Ukraine’s embattled energy grid, which continues to suffer under Russian missile strikes. London also enacted new sanctions targeting maritime transport of Russian liquefied natural gas.
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper called on G7 allies to remain unified, saying, “Putin is weaponizing winter. Our response must be coordinated and unrelenting.”
Beyond Europe, the G7 also turned its attention to the worsening violence in Sudan. Anand, who will host a closed-door session on global security, described the situation as “unconscionable,” vowing that Canada and its allies would take steps to address both the violence and the deepening refugee crisis it has triggered.
Trade Tensions Take a Backseat
While security issues dominated the summit’s opening day, unresolved trade disputes with the United States remained a quieter undercurrent. Despite mounting pressure at home, Anand signaled that ongoing trade friction—including fallout from President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from bilateral talks—would not be a central topic.
“Other ministers are handling trade separately. My focus here is the geopolitical dimension,” Anand told reporters.
Last month, trade negotiations between Ottawa and Washington collapsed unexpectedly, just days after a White House meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Sources point to a contentious ad campaign by Ontario’s government that spotlighted Reagan-era critiques of tariffs—a move that reportedly enraged the Trump administration.
Outlook: A Fractured World Order on Display
As the summit progresses, the G7 finds itself navigating a treacherous global landscape—from military brinkmanship in the Caribbean to proxy wars in Europe and Africa. While official communiqués emphasize unity, the undercurrent of diverging interests, especially between North America and Europe, suggests that consensus may prove elusive.
The stakes, however, are growing. Whether the G7 can manage these multiple flashpoints without triggering new conflicts will define not just the success of the summit—but the stability of regions far beyond the conference walls.
