Trump Boasts of Iran Strikes as Allies Resist US Pressure at G7

At a press conference in Washington on Monday, Trump boasted about US attacks in the Middle East and said the war against Iran had been going on 'at full strength' in recent days. According to the president, US forces have attacked over 7,000 targets in Iran since the outbreak of war on February 28, when reports of the first Israeli drone attacks came in. Trump is less impressed with the efforts of US's other allies, who he is upset with for not sending warships to the Strait of Hormuz. Many countries have told me they are on their way, says Trump, without mentioning which countries he is referring to. According to the president, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will lift the veil later, according to Reuters.

Trump expressed frustration with allies' lack of enthusiasm for supporting US military actions. Some are very enthusiastic, while others are not, he said. Some of them are countries we have helped for many, many years. We have protected them against terrible external threats, but they are not enthusiastic. And the degree of enthusiasm matters to me, says Trump. He gave specific examples of reluctance, noting there are certain countries where we have 45,000 soldiers, great soldiers, protecting them from danger, and we have done a fantastic job. But when we ask: Do you have any minesweepers? They answer: Sir, we would rather not get involved. Because I know that we will protect them, but if we ever need help, they are not there for us. I have known that for a long time, says Trump.

The European Union is among those who have not thrown themselves into US's warfare. On Monday, the bloc's foreign ministers gathered in Brussels to discuss Trump's demands for more support in the war against Iran and the situation in the Strait of Hormuz. This is not Europe's war. We have not started this war, says EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. She received support from EU foreign ministers, who have decided that they do not wish to actively enter the conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran. We are working with our partners to achieve a diplomatic solution to this war, says Kallas.

During a G7 meeting on Friday, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas asked US Secretary of State Marco Rubio when the US plans to put more pressure on Russia. It was during a discussion about Ukraine that Kallas spoke up against the US and accused them of not pressuring Russia hard enough. Kallas pointed out that Marco Rubio at an earlier G7 meeting, a year ago, said that if Russia hindered US attempts to end the war, the US would lose patience and take more measures against them. A year has passed and Russia has not moved, said Kallas to Rubio, according to sources. When does your patience run out? Rubio became visibly irritated, according to information from three sources to Axios. He replied with a raised tone, saying the US is doing its best to end the war and suggesting others could take over if they think they can do better.

After the heated exchange, several European ministers intervened and emphasized that they still want the US to continue its attempts at diplomacy between Russia and Ukraine, according to one of the sources via Axios. Two sources say that Rubio and Kallas after the meeting had a brief private conversation. It was an open exchange of views. That is what diplomacy is for, says an official at the US State Department to Axios. After the G7 meeting, Rubio denied that there had been any tensions or criticism. These meetings are often about thanking the US for the role we have played ... and appreciation for the mediating role we have tried to have in the war between Russia and Ukraine. No one is shouting or raising their voice or saying anything negative, he said to reporters on site after the meeting.

Kallas had criticized US policy toward Russia earlier in the day. US's easing of sanctions on oil, against Russia, is a dangerous precedent, because right now we need to ensure they (Russia) have less money to wage war, not more, says Kallas on her way into the meeting. Both Iran and Ukraine are heavy topics during the day. Among other things, discussions are expected about how and if the EU can contribute to keeping transports going through the Strait of Hormuz. In broader comments about EU-US relations, Kallas said the US has been very clear that they want to split Europe and do not like the European Union, according to a newspaper. She added that the US approach resembles the tactics used by opponents of the EU, writes Financial Times. It is a very complicated relationship we have, she said. If you read the national security strategy and the national defense strategy, I don't think you should have any illusions, says Kallas. She referred to documents that the White House published in December and January, which among other things advocated for cultivating opposition in Europe and for calibrating US military support to the continent.

Unresolved questions persist about allied support and diplomatic outcomes. While Trump claims many countries have promised to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz, he has not identified which specific countries. The specific measures the US is taking to pressure Russia regarding Ukraine, beyond the mentioned easing of oil sanctions, also remain unclear as transatlantic tensions continue to simmer.