Emmanuel Macron pleaded Thursday for the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel "to be extended", a few hours before negotiations between the two countries, under American aegis, in Washington. He also asked that they include "all countries in the region that are relevant" to Lebanon's security in order to achieve "lasting peace" in the country.
Published on: 04/23/2026 - 6:00 p.m. Modified on: 04/23/2026 - 9:12 p.m.
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The French president declared Thursday April 23 that the talks planned in Washington between Lebanon and Israel must include "all countries in the region which are relevant" for the "security" of the country of the Cedar in order to achieve a "lasting peace". “We are all working to ensure that the ceasefire is extended,” said Emmanuel Macron, while Beirut wants to request a one-month extension of the truce already in force since April 17.
“Lebanon is today under very strong pressure and we are all working to ensure that the ceasefire is extended,” he declared alongside his Cypriot counterpart Nikos Christodoulides before an informal European summit in Nicosia.
To do this, the negotiations must "take place in a suitable framework, that is to say obviously between Lebanon and Israel", but including "all the countries in the region which are relevant for the security and stability of Lebanon over the long term", he added.
“And so that we can truly build the conditions for a lasting peace which respects the sovereignty of Lebanon, its territorial integrity and which permanently disarms Hezbollah,” the French president further underlined.
Emmanuel Macron also reiterated that France was “ready” to organize a conference in support of the Lebanese armed forces whenever Beirut “deems it appropriate”.
Negotiations without France
The Israeli ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, affirmed in mid-April that Paris had nothing to do in the negotiations between Israel and Lebanon. The Élysée then responded that "many will be happy to be able to count on France, including the Israelis" when it is necessary to help the Lebanese authorities to "restore security and their sovereignty over the entire Lebanese territory".
Read alsoLebanon-Israel: the agreement of May 17, 1983, a precedent which hangs over the negotiations
The leaders of the EU countries meeting at a summit in Nicosia will have a working lunch on Friday with the President of Lebanon Joseph Aoun, that of Egypt Abdel Fattah al-Sissi, the Syrian Ahmed al-Chareh and the Crown Prince of Jordan Hussein bin Abdallah.
With AFP
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