The foreign ministers of the G7 countries meet in Paris.Image: keystone
analysis
At the G7 meeting in France, the USA appeared less self-aggrandizing and the Europeans less gloating. Will they find a solution together for the all-important Strait of Hormuz?
Mar 27, 2026, 10:41 p.mMar 27, 2026, 10:41 p.m
The G7 meeting began in the air: While still approaching Paris, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared that the Europeans must also work to ensure that the Strait of Hormuz becomes navigable again for oil and gas transport. This is also in the economic interests of Germany, Great Britain, France and Italy, which also include the USA, Japan and Canada in the G7 format.
Rubio deliberately skipped the first day of the ministerial meeting; Once he arrived in Cernay-la-Ville, southwest of Paris, he eschewed the strident anti-European tones that had become common in Washington. This is an indication that President Donald Trump himself is under great pressure.
With false generosity, he extended the deadline for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz to ten days. There should be no attacks on Iranian power plants until April 7th. Vice President JD Vance is to lead the negotiations with Tehran on behalf of the American side.
At the same time, however, US media reported that Washington wants to increase the number of US troops already stationed in the Middle East from 10,000 to 18,000. That might be enough to occupy an island in the Persian Gulf – but definitely not enough to bring about regime change in Tehran. It is debated whether this is a bluff or a means of pressure. Meanwhile, the Israeli Air Force attacked arms factories in Iran.
Aircraft carrier from Europe
The French G7 hosts renewed their willingness to help secure shipping around Hormuz – once the war is over. President Emmanuel Macron had already set this condition two weeks ago when he sent the aircraft carrier Charles-de-Gaulle to the war region.
The French are upset because Trump did not inform the NATO allies before his air strikes against Iran, let alone involve them. Before his first trip abroad since the start of the war, Rubio countered that the Europeans had not taken part when Trump asked them to do so.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot deliberately invited Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrij Sybiha to the G7 meeting in order to bring him together with Rubio. He expressed concern that Trump might abandon Ukraine to focus on Iran. “That would only play into Vladimir Putin’s hands,” feared German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul. Wadephul warned that the USA would be harmed. The G7 partners must therefore maintain pressure on the Russian energy sector with sanctions and the fight against Putin’s shadow fleet.
That was perhaps the most striking finding of the G7 meeting: While Rubio pointed out that the Europeans were interested in pacifying Iran, the Europeans reminded the Americans of their interest in limiting Russian expansionism in Ukraine. So far, the Europeans have been in a tight spot: They had to fear that Trump could take revenge for Europe’s sidelines in Iran by giving up on Ukraine. “Ukraine, this is not our war,” said the American president before the G7 meeting in a very direct response to the sayings of many European politicians that the war in Iran is not the war of the Europeans.
The more the US government comes under global economic pressure, the more it will at least listen to Ukrainian points of view. After the meeting of G7 ministers, participants praised the “friendly and good” conversation with Rubio. For once, both sides are trying to bring transatlantic positions closer together.
As far as the Hormuz sticking point is concerned, according to press reports, 30 Allied chiefs of general staff met this week to discuss ways to secure the Strait of Hormuz after the end of the war. This brainstorming session among allies also shows that there is increasing effort on both sides of the Atlantic to pull in the same direction. (aargauerzeitung.ch)