Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel Friday to France to discuss the conflict in the Middle East and other matters with other officials in the Group of Seven nations.
The State Department said Tuesday that Mr. Rubio will meet with G7 counterparts in Cernay-la-Ville.
“While there, the Secretary will meet with foreign ministers from partner nations to discuss shared security concerns and opportunities for cooperation,” the department said in a statement. “Areas of focus will include the Russia-Ukraine war, the situation in the Middle East, and threats across the world to peace and stability.” The joint U.S.-Israel operation against Iran will loom over the meetings.
President Trump has criticized allies over their lack of support for his war aims and efforts to end the Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a key choke point for oil tankers.
European leaders say they are reluctant to get too deeply involved in another Middle East conflict, particularly after the Trump administration gave them little insight into its war plans ahead of the bombardment of Iran that began on Feb. 28.
Mr. Trump says allies support his aims in Iran, so they should be more helpful.
Markets pulled back on Tuesday after a positive start to the trading week, as the conflict in the Middle East seemed to rage on despite hopes for an end to hostilities.
U.S. stocks rallied Monday after Mr. Trump pointed to positive talks between his envoys and unidentified contacts in Iran.
Wall Street indexes fell at the opening bell on Tuesday before rebounding into positive territory, leaving stocks relatively unchanged as investors looked for firmer signs of progress in the Middle East.
Iran continued to hit targets in Israel and Iraq even as U.S. officials said Tehran’s missile program was seriously hindered.
Oil prices rose again, with Brent crude settling above $100 per barrel, while the average national price of a gallon of gas neared $4, at $3.98.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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