At the G7 meeting held in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada, France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot expressed deep concern over the escalating military activities in the Caribbean, labeling them as a disregard for international law. Barrot emphasized the need to avoid instability caused by potential escalations, particularly in light of Venezuela’s warnings that US deployments could provoke a full-scale conflict. The USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, recently entered the region under the control of the US Naval Forces Southern Command, intensifying the arms buildup. The Trump administration has justified its military campaign in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific as part of an anti-drug offensive, but Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has accused the US of fabricating a war to pursue regime change. Barrot highlighted the importance of G7 nations collaborating to combat the global narcotics trade, noting the potential impact on over a million French citizens residing in the Caribbean. Meanwhile, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand, the meeting’s host, underscored the G7’s focus on supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression, with the UK announcing £13 million in aid for Ukraine’s energy sector and a ban on Russian liquid natural gas. Anand also addressed the escalating humanitarian crisis in Sudan, pledging G7 support for those affected. Despite the ongoing trade tensions between the US and Canada, Anand indicated that the issue would not be a primary focus of her bilateral meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.