Rubio could face an unfriendly reception from close G7 allies over Trump's policies

LA MALBAIE, Canada (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio may be walking into unusually unfriendly territory this week when he meets his counterparts from the Group of 7 industrialized democracies — strong American allies stunned by President Donald Trump’s actions against them.

Just hours after Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs kicked in — prompting responses from the European Union and Canada and threatening to ignite full-scale trade wars with close U.S. partners — Rubio arrived at the scenic Quebec town of La Malbaie on the St. Lawrence River for two days of talks starting Thursday with the top diplomats of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan. All of them have been angered by the new American president's policies.

Rubio will likely be hearing a litany of complaints about Trump’s decisions from once-friendly, like-minded countries in the G7 — notably host Canada, to which Trump has arguably been most antagonistic with persistent talk of it becoming the 51st U.S. state, additional tariffs and repeated insults against its leadership.

Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly, the official host who will see each participant separately, said that "in every single meeting, I will raise the issue of tariffs to coordinate a response with the Europeans and to put pressure on the Americans.”

“The only constant in this unjustifiable trade war seems to be President Trump’s talk of annexing our country through economic coercion,” Joly said Wednesday. "Yesterday, he called our border a fictional line and repeated his disrespectful 51st state rhetoric.”

Rubio downplayed Trump's “51st state” comments, saying Wednesday that the president was only expressing what he thought would be a good idea.

The G7 grouping "is not a meeting about how we’re going to take over Canada,” Rubio said, noting that they would focus on Ukraine issues and other common topics.

On tariffs, Rubio said G7 partners should understand that these are a “policy decision” by Trump to protect American competitiveness.

“I think it is quite possible that we could do these things and at the same time deal in a constructive way with our allies and friends and partners on all the other issues that we work together on,” Rubio told reporters on a refueling stop in Ireland as he headed to Canada from talks with Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia. “And that’s what I expect out of the G7 and Canada.”

Asked if he expected a difficult reception from his counterparts, Rubio brushed the question aside: “I don’t know, should I be? I mean, they’ve invited us to come. We intend to go. The alternative is to not go. I think that would actually make things worse, not better.”

Rubio notably skipped a meeting of G20 foreign ministers — a bigger but less powerful group that includes developing nations — last month in South Africa because of his concerns that the agenda, which included climate change and diversity, did not align with Trump administration policies.

The agenda for the G7 meeting includes discussions on China and the Indo-Pacific; Ukraine and Europe; stability in the Americas; the Middle East; maritime security; Africa; and China, North Korea, Iran and Russia.

Rubio and Trump's national security adviser, Mike Waltz, had been in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, earlier in the week securing a potentially huge win for the administration — a possible ceasefire to end the Russia-Ukraine war, an issue that galvanized the G7 since even before the conflict began.

Armed with Ukraine’s acceptance of the proposal for a 30-day ceasefire but still awaiting a Russian response, Rubio can expect cautiously optimistic responses from his fellow diplomats.

Yet, Trump’s apparent desire to draw Russian President Vladimir Putin back into the fold — including saying he would like to see Russia rejoin the group to restore it to the G8 — continues to alarm G7 members. They united behind Ukraine, with large amounts of military assistance and punishing economic sanctions against Moscow, after the invasion began in February 2022.

Russia was thrown out of the G8 after it annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.

Among international groupings, the G7 — whose members, with the exception of Japan, are all NATO allies — had been the toughest on Russia.

At the last G7 foreign ministers meeting before the 2022 invasion, members warned Russia in a joint statement in December 2021 of “massive consequences” should it attack Ukraine. Three months later, they coordinated to impose sweeping financial, travel and other sanctions on Moscow.

Since Trump's election, that appears to be changing, at least from the U.S. side.

Rubio said his goal was not to antagonize Russia as it considers the ceasefire proposal “by issuing statements that are abrasive in any way.” He noted that all of the sanctions against Russia remain in place but that new threats of action could be counterproductive to getting Putin on board with the U.S. peace plan.

That throws into question hopes that the G7 can unify around a common statement condemning Russia.

Britain, along with France, has been spearheading efforts to set up a “coalition of the willing” to help safeguard a future ceasefire in Ukraine, including with troops on the ground. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer — who has said the plan will only work with U.S. security guarantees to back it up — plans to host a virtual meeting of about two dozen countries Saturday to discuss progress.

Rubio and other Trump administration officials have so far refused to endorse European peacekeepers.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said G7 unity has been critical in ensuring that “Putin to this day hasn’t achieved his war aims in Ukraine.”

“The way to peace goes via strength and unity — a language that Putin understands,” she said in a statement before the meeting.

Associated Press writers Rob Gillies in Toronto, Jill Lawless in London, and Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to the media during a refueling stop at Shannon Airport in Shannon, Ireland, on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (Saul Loeb/Pool Photo via AP)

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to the media during a refueling stop at Shannon Airport in Shannon, Ireland, on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (Saul Loeb/Pool Photo via AP)

Canadian Deputy Director of Protocol and Liaison Lena Tobin greets U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio as he disembarks from a military airplane upon arrival at Quebec City Jean Lesage International Airport in Quebec, Canada, March 12, 2025, as he travels to a G7 Foreign Ministers meeting. (Saul Loeb/Pool Photo via AP)

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio disembarks from a military airplane upon arrival at Quebec City Jean Lesage International Airport in Quebec, Canada, March 12, 2025, as he travels to a G7 Foreign Ministers meeting. (Saul Loeb/Pool Photo via AP)

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio disembarks from a military airplane upon arrival at Quebec City Jean Lesage International Airport in Quebec, Canada, March 12, 2025, as he travels to a G7 Foreign Ministers meeting. (Saul Loeb/Pool Photo via AP)

BANGKOK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar 13, 2025--

Cargill, a global leader in food and agriculture, is strengthening its support for the animal nutrition and health industry by presenting its holistic portfolio of science-based solutions and services – including both nutrition and digital innovations – at VIV Asia 2025, the leading international exhibition and technology event for the livestock sector. In addition to showcasing its latest advancements in precision nutrition and technology, Cargill is hosting insightful Tech Talks, featuring breakthrough innovations designed to enhance animal agriculture and support producers in overcoming industry challenges.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250313365641/en/

The Cargill booth was inaugurated by Adriano Marcon, President of Cargill Animal Nutrition and Health, along with Kelly Stange, Regional Agricultural Counselor, Office of Agricultural Affairs, U.S. Embassy Bangkok. Following the booth opening, Cargill and Cooperl formalized their strategic partnership for the China market with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony, reinforcing their shared commitment to advancing animal nutrition farming practices.

At VIV Asia 2025, Cargill introduced a new portfolio of brands for its Micronutrition and Health Solutions (MHS) business, integrating innovations developed through Cargill’s scientific research and world-class nutritional expertise. These solutions are tailored to help producers optimize operations and achieve long-term success.

Cargill's Micronutrition and Health Solutions (MHS) portfolio includes:

The full range of MHS brands can be viewed at https://micronutritionandhealth.com/.

Gina Medina, Business Director, South & Southeast Asia Cargill Micronutrition & Health Solutions states: “Cargill is dedicated to developing integrated solutions that enhance animal well-being across all stages of life to help optimize livestock production. Our goal is to build a strong and sustainable future for the livestock industry, ensuring greater access to high-quality, safe, and nutritious meat for consumers worldwide. Through responsible business practices, we remain committed to nourishing the world in a safe, responsible, and sustainable way.”

Recognizing the challenges facing the animal agriculture today, Cargill is also introducing digital solutions to help producers streamline operations, enhance efficiency, and make data-driven decisions.

Featured digital innovations showcased at VIV Asia 2025 include:

Hongfei Zheng, Senior Vice President, Cargill Animal Nutrition & Health Asia Pacific said, “Cargill is dedicated to raising industry standards by adopting the global innovations to serve Asia customers and species, driving the production of high-quality animal nutrition products, and empowering business growth by connecting farmers, producers to consumption markets. Our participation in VIV Asia 2025 underscores Cargill’s leadership in delivering innovative solutions that address these needs, aligning with the event’s core themes of Regenerative Agriculture and Animal Disease Management and promoting strategic partnerships. By advancing animal health and championing sustainability across the entire production process, we remain committed to developing innovations that provide comprehensive solutions – ensuring the world is fed in a safe, responsible, and sustainable manner.”

To know more, please visit Cargill at VIV Asia 2025, booth number 3230 in Hall 2 of the IMPACT Exhibition and Convention Centre, between 12-14 March 2025. For more information, log on to https://micronutritionandhealth.com/vivasia/

About Cargill

Cargill is committed to providing food, ingredients, agricultural solutions, and industrial products to nourish the world in a safe, responsible, and sustainable way. Sitting at the heart of the supply chain, we partner with farmers and customers to source, make and deliver products that are vital for living.

Our 160,000 team members —including our 16,000 colleagues in Thailand —innovate with purpose, providing customers with life’s essentials so businesses can grow, communities prosper, and consumers live well. With 159 years of experience as a family company, we look ahead while remaining true to our values. We put people first. We reach higher. We do the right thing—today and for generations to come. For more information, visit Cargill.com and our News Center.

Cargill celebrates collaboration and innovation with key industry leaders at the official opening of its VIV Asia booth on March 12. From left to right: Gilles Houdart, Global Business Director, Cargill Micronutrition and Health Solutions (MHS); Hongfei Zheng, Senior Vice President, Cargill Animal Nutrition and Health (ANH) Asia Pacific; Dr. Jirapus Intsrook, DVM, Director of Animal Feed and Veterinary Products Control Division, Thailand Department of Livestock Development; Adriano Marcon, President, Cargill Animal Nutrition and Health; Kelly Stange, Regional Agricultural Counselor, U.S. Embassy Bangkok; Gina Medina, Business Director, MHS South & Southeast Asia; and Guillaume Smeets, Strategic Marketing & Technology Lead, ANH. (Photo: Business Wire)