G7 leaders weigh Ukraine support and China’s control over critical minerals

G7 foreign ministers met in Canada’s Niagara region on Tuesday for crucial talks dominated by two global flashpoints — the ongoing war in Ukraine and China’s expanding control over critical minerals essential to modern industries.

The meeting, which brings together top diplomats from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan, comes at a pivotal time as Kyiv struggles to repel Russian advances while global supply chains face growing strategic pressure from Beijing.

US President Donald Trump’s recent sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil firms have escalated tensions with Moscow, while Washington continues urging European nations to reduce energy imports that help finance Russia’s war effort.

Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand said the summit’s goal was to strengthen coordination among allies and broaden global engagement, noting that ministers from countries such as India, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Mexico, and South Korea were also participating. “In such a volatile geopolitical climate, it’s critical to widen the conversation beyond the G7,” she said.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet Anand for bilateral talks on Wednesday to discuss security cooperation, trade stability, and humanitarian support for Ukraine.

Beyond the war, ministers are also focusing on Sudan’s deepening humanitarian crisis, with Italy’s foreign ministry confirming that the group will explore ways to improve aid delivery amid the ongoing conflict there.

Another central issue is Beijing’s dominance in the global supply of critical minerals — especially rare earth elements vital to electric vehicles, semiconductors, and defense technologies. The G7 has expressed alarm at China’s near-monopoly over refining and processing capacity, which poses long-term risks to economic and national security.

Last month, the G7 energy ministers agreed to develop joint projects to diversify and secure mineral supply chains independent of China. A senior US official said ahead of the Niagara meeting that “economic resilience and security are now inseparable priorities.”

The Niagara summit is expected to yield a unified stance on both geopolitical and economic fronts — reinforcing G7 coordination on Ukraine while advancing a collective strategy to counter China’s leverage over critical resources.