Marco Rubio, the U.S. Secretary of State, has planned to hold a meeting with the foreign ministers of Australia, India, and Japan in Washington on Saturday. This meeting is the third gathering of the Quad foreign ministers this year and is aimed at preparing for the summit of the leaders of these four countries in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, next month.
Planning for the Quad Leaders Summit
The Quad leaders summit is scheduled to take place from November 15 to 18 on the sidelines of the ASEAN conference in Manila. This summit will be the first leaders' meeting since 2024 and marks the first attendance of Donald Trump, the President of the United States, at this summit. The official leaders' meetings of the Quad countries began with Joe Biden's entry into the White House in 2021. Previously, Trump was supposed to attend the Quad summit in India in late 2025, but canceled the trip due to trade and tariff disputes with New Delhi.
Read more: Lana Nusseibeh from the UAE ranked fourth in an unofficial UN Secretary-General poll
Global Disputes and Challenges
After the Quad foreign ministers meeting, Marco Rubio will join a two-day meeting of the G20, the world's largest economies, in Atlanta. According to the U.S. State Department's plan, he has invited the foreign ministers to witness a college football game. Rubio's eldest son, Anthony, plays as a running back for the University of Florida, and his team will face the University of Georgia, which is ranked higher.
At a reception at the Georgia Aquarium on Friday, Rubio reiterated the need for cooperation among G20 members, stating, "Given the complex economic and geopolitical challenges we face today, we must work together. The future of our countries depends on our willingness to understand the reality that although our interests are not always aligned, we must always seek collaboration to advance our common interests."
The Friday meeting also highlighted deep divisions in the G20 regarding the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. Due to some European members' reluctance to pose for a photo with Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, the organizers decided to cancel the traditional family photo.
Rubio, who will also hold a press conference at the end of these meetings, expressed hope that the G20 foreign ministers could lay the groundwork for a successful leaders' summit on December 14 and 15 at Trump Golf Resort in Doral, Florida.
Read more: Seven people, including five children, died in floods in eastern Syria · Marco Rubio expressed deep concern over settler attacks in the West Bank
