Rubio spars with G7 diplomats over wars in Iran and Ukraine

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (C) gestures as he speaks to the press following a G7 Foreign Ministers' meeting with Partner Countries before his departure at the Bourget airport in Le Bourget, outside Paris, on March 27, 2026. Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / POOL / AFP via Getty Images

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“The United States is constantly being asked to help in a war,” Rubio said referring to Ukraine, before taking off for the Friday conclusion of a G7 gathering outside Paris. “But when the U.S. had a need, he didn’t get positive responses,” he added.

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The Europeans have rebuffed Trump’s bid for their navies to participate in opening the Strait of Hormuz, saying they’d help once the missiles have stopped flying. All the while, U.S. bases in Europe have been key to the war effort and some European bases have provided logistical support.

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“It is irritating, I have to say,” German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul told Deutschlandfunk radio before a scheduled meeting with Rubio. Germany hasn’t received a clear ask from the U.S. side. “At this point, the legal requirements for us for such an operation aren’t met. And there is no specific request for us to take action at this time.”

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Nevertheless, French Foreign Ministry spokesman Pascal Confavreux said planning is underway. “It would take place after the end of the bombing first,” he told Bloomberg TV. “To be only in a defensive situation. We are preparing such a mission with all the willing partners. But we have made very clear that this war is not our war and we don’t want to be entangled in it.”

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The U.S. clarified its position in France, saying it isn’t asking allies for action now in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a person familiar with the conversations at the G7. But Washington wants allies to be ready to help secure the region after the fighting.

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The naval group would need to have as many allies as possible participate and won’t be U.S.-led, said the person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, who added they expect the war to end in a matter of weeks, not months.

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“There is, I believe, a consensus within the international community to preserve a common good, which is freedom of navigation,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told reporters.

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The U.S. was considering sending as many as 10,000 additional troops to the Middle East, the Wall Street Journal reported, giving the U.S. president more military options as leading U.S. allies called for negotiations to end a conflict that is doing increasing damage to the global economy.

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Ukraine remains Europe’s primary concern, with its leaders trying to isolate Russia by connecting the two wars.

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The EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, said Thursday that Russia was providing Iran with intelligence to target and kill Americans, something her Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov denied on French TV.

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“Drones provided to Russia by Iran that have been involved in the conflict by Ukraine, but we have also seen support from Russia provided to Iran in the Middle East conflict as well,” UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said.

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In contrast, “Ukraine is not America’s war, and yet we’ve contributed more to that fight than any other country in the world,” said Rubio. “So, it’ll be something to examine that the President will have to take into account down the road.”

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With assistance from Jenni Thier, Christoph Rauwald, Katharina Rosskopf, Caroline Connan and Oliver Crook

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