The European Union welcomed the agreement signed the previous day in Washington between Israel and Lebanon on Saturday 27 June. However, Israel carried out fresh strikes in southern Lebanon the following day.
“This is a crucial step to avoid an escalation. Because there can be no peace in the Middle East with Lebanon in flames,” stressed European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on X.
In a statement, the spokesperson for the European External Action Service (EEAS) welcomed the “constructive” commitment of all parties, urging them to implement their commitments, notably through the newly created Trilateral Military Coordination Group.
The President of the European Commission specified that the next essential steps were “the disarmament of non-state groups and the preservation of Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”. According to the EEAS, “any lasting solution must be based on the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which calls for the withdrawal of all forces from Lebanese territory and the disarmament of all non-state armed groups”.
Ursula von der Leyen promised that the EU was ready to support this path towards lasting regional stability, “including by continuing to provide indispensable humanitarian aid, with €100 million mobilised for displaced persons”. The EEAS also explained that the EU supported the Lebanese government’s efforts to assert the State’s authority and its monopoly on arms.
The EU is considering a mission to assist the Lebanese armed forces after the end of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) at the end of 2026. On Thursday 25 June, France and Italy announced that they would jointly undertake discussions on the situation after the departure of UNIFIL, “with a view to leading an international coalition in support of Lebanon” to help strengthen the country’s sovereignty. They also expressed support for the creation of a CSDP mission in Lebanon in autumn 2026.
On 28 May, the EU also approved aid of €100 million for the Lebanese armed forces (see EUROPE 13877/25).
See the text of the agreement between Lebanon and Israel: https://aeur.eu/f/mm7 (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)