Aoun Meets Macron: Key Talks on Lebanon’s Stability and Ceasefire Efforts

On Friday, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun met with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. They talked about important changes needed for Lebanon’s economy and how to keep peace in the region, especially as tensions rise between Israel and Hezbollah.

This is President Aoun’s first visit to a Western country since the new prime minister, Nawaf Salam, formed a government after two years of political delays. Aoun is looking for support from France to strengthen Lebanon.

In November, France and the United States helped create a ceasefire agreement. This deal involves the armed group Hezbollah removing its weapons from southern Lebanon, Israel pulling back its troops, and the Lebanese army taking over security in the area. However, all three sides—Lebanon, Hezbollah, and Israel—are blaming each other for breaking the agreement. Just hours before the meeting, the Israeli military struck Hezbollah positions after rockets were fired from Lebanon into Israel.

A French official noted that it’s time to ensure everyone respects the ceasefire. France is also keeping in touch with U.S. officials about the situation.

Additionally, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa will join the discussions via video call to address issues in Syria and maintain good relations with Lebanon. This comes after recent violence led to 10 deaths in border clashes.

The leaders from Cyprus and Greece will also participate in the talks. They are cautious about lifting EU sanctions on Syria, mainly due to concerns about negotiations between Syria and Turkey that could affect their sea borders.