Foreign Ministers’ Meeting of G7 Member States at the Abbaye des Vaux-de-Cernay (26 and 27 March 2026)

Under the French Presidency of the G7, the first formal G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting was held on 26 and 27 March 2026, at the Abbaye des Vaux-de-Cernay, in the Yvelines Department (78). In a context marked by a fragmentation of the international order and an outbreak of conflicts and hybrid threats, this event was held in line with France's aim to make the G7 a space for dialogue and consultation for the major global economies. It is an important step in preparing G7's response to geopolitical issues, two and a half months ahead of the Evian Summit.

The French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot, discussed with his counterparts from Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, in addition to the European Union High Representative, international conflicts and crisis hotspots, particularly the situation in Iran and the Middle East, as well as Sudan, Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti and the importance of a free and open Indo-Pacific region based on the rule of law. A statement on Iran calling, in particular, for the protection of civilians and civilian energy infrastructures was adopted. The Minister also welcomed his Ukrainian counterpart to chair a working session on the G7's support for Ukraine in the face of Russia's war of aggression, which is a priority of the French Presidency.

In line with France's willingness to involve major emerging economies and regional partners in the work of the G7, the foreign ministers of India, Brazil, the Republic of Korea and Saudi Arabia, along with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, took part in discussions on reform of global governance, reconstruction, the defence of sovereignty and the fight against cross-cutting threats, including drug trafficking and organized crime.

Committed to making the French G7 Presidency a "presidency of balance, convergence and results" based on concrete projects, the Minister announced various initiatives that will guide the work of the partners throughout the year. Regarding the global governance, participants discussed United Nations' ongoing initiatives to foster effective multilateralism, including in the area of peacekeeping and humanitarian logistics, to lower aid delivery costs and to better alleviate food insecurity and malnutrition. Regarding reconstruction, the G7 partners committed to support the international fundraising for the restoration of Chornobyl's confinement structure in Ukraine, which was severely damaged by a Russian strike in 2025, and the organization of a conference to combat the trafficking of Captagon, a synthetic drug that is wreaking havoc in the Middle East and that has made its way to Europe. Outlines for establishing a regional bank for reconstruction and development of the Middle East were also presented. Regarding cross-cutting threats, a task force of G7 members was established to create a network of ports and appropriate tools to prevent maritime drug flows. The French G7 Presidency will organize a regional conference in the Caribbean and with Latin American countries to bolster anti-drug trafficking efforts. The partners also agreed to continue working on securing supply chains of critical minerals. Lastly, the G7 members have launched a discussion aimed at better integrating migration issues into conflict prevention and resolution.