G7 foreign ministers meet in Paris to weigh Trump's midterm setback on US foreign policy

Foreign ministers from the G7 met on Monday, 9 November, in Paris to assess whether Donald Trump's defeat in the midterm elections will change Washington's approach to Ukraine, the Middle East and its closest allies. Four G7 diplomats told Reuters that the Democrats' results could limit the room for manoeuvre of the White House. They added that the United States should not be expected to return to traditional international cooperation while Trump continues to control most of US foreign policy.

The gathering is also the first time Secretary of State Marco Rubio has addressed allies since the US elections, and he is considered one of the possible candidates in the 2028 presidential race. Iran is among the main items on the agenda. Before arriving in Paris, Rubio sought to temper expectations of a possible deal with Iran, saying he would not describe the sides as being on the verge of major progress and calling Iran's demands unrealistic and, in some cases, ridiculous. Ukraine is also central to the talks, which take place ahead of trilateral negotiations scheduled for Tuesday, 10 November, in Abu Dhabi between Ukraine, Russia and the United States. Ministers from Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, South Korea and Brazil also take part.