France denies excluding South Africa from G7 over U.S. pressure

France has rejected claims that it shelved an invitation to South Africa for the June G7 leaders’ summit under pressure from Washington, saying instead that Kenya was chosen as a guest in advance of President Emmanuel Macron’s planned visit there.

Paris previously said the summit at Evian-les-Bains will host the leaders of India, South Korea, Brazil and Kenya as special invitees.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, making his first trip abroad since the Middle East war began, will attend alongside senior ministers from Canada, Germany, Italy, France, Japan and the United Kingdom, but only on the summit’s second day.

South Africa — a frequent guest at past G7 gatherings — said the French embassy in Pretoria informed the government roughly two weeks ago that it had been left off the guest list and that the US had threatened to boycott if South Africa were invited.

When asked whether the United States had demanded South Africa’s exclusion, a French official dismissed that account, saying France independently decided to invite Kenya this time.

Mr Macron is scheduled to travel to Kenya in May for a two-day Africa-France summit.

President Donald Trump has publicly criticised South Africa’s foreign policy and its domestic race laws during his second term, skipped last year’s G20 summit in Johannesburg and excluded South Africa from this year’s G20 meetings.

The White House and the US State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

France had hoped to steer the G7 toward preventing a “massive financial crisis” by urging absent China to stimulate domestic demand and curb destabilising exports, while calling on the United States to rein in deficits and Europe to boost production and save more.

President Trump has claimed the US is speaking to a ‘top person’ within Iran’s clerical system

Those longer-term aims, however, risk being eclipsed by urgent pressures: the summit takes place amid an energy shock tied to the US and Israeli campaign against Iran, and mounting questions about the G7’s relevance.

“We don’t know where the Iran crisis will be by June,” an adviser to President Emmanuel Macron said.

“However it evolves, we will have to address its energy and economic consequences,” the adviser added.

With Lebanon drawn into the conflict after rockets from Iran-backed Hezbollah struck Israel, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot urged Israel to refrain from sending forces to seize control of a southern Lebanese zone.

Although all G7 members are close US allies, none has unequivocally backed the assault on Iran, a stance that has provoked Mr Trump’s ire.

President Trump has said the US is in contact with a “top person” inside Iran’s clerical leadership as part of talks to halt the fighting.

Iranian state television, however, reported yesterday that Tehran rejected a peace proposal relayed via Pakistan.

Mr Trump’s threat to strike Iranian energy infrastructure — which he has so far held back on amid reported negotiations — unsettled European partners who have urged de‑escalation and avoided military involvement.

Germany’s foreign minister said talks with Marco Rubio are particularly important

British Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper has expressed concern that the war has diverted attention from a Gaza peace plan and rising violence in the occupied West Bank.

Germany’s foreign minister said NATO allies will seek a common position with the United States on the campaign against Iran and pressed for a rapid end to hostilities.

“Of course it is now important, together with our closest allies within NATO, particularly with the United States, to develop a common position,” Minister Johann Wadephul said ahead of meetings.

He said there was agreement with France and Britain on the need for unity and described planned talks with the US secretary of state as particularly important.

Mr Wadephul added that the Strait of Hormuz must be reopened and that Iran’s leadership should not pose future threats to other countries.

Signalling the divergence among allies, organisers have dropped the usual final joint communique for this meeting.

China will not attend the summit on 15-17 June and has continued to question the G7’s legitimacy as a “club of rich countries,” French officials said.

France — which diplomats say attempted to invite Beijing — will engage China through separate channels, a Paris official added, arguing it is also in Beijing’s interest to avoid confrontation.

“The risk for China is to see global markets and European markets, closing off to it,” the official said.

He noted that the states invited are all democracies and market economies that adhere to the norms of international cooperation.