French President Emmanuel Macron and Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam held a press conference in Paris on Tuesday at the Elysee Palace, in which Macron said that Paris would help the Lebanese prepare for negotiations with Israel. For his part, Salam stressed that his country demands a “complete withdrawal” of Israeli forces from its lands, in addition to the return of Lebanese prisoners and displaced persons, within the framework of the ongoing negotiations with the Hebrew state, ahead of a new meeting expected Thursday in Washington.

Published on: 04/21/2026 - 08:14 Last updated: 04/21/2026 - 22:27

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French President Emmanuel Macron received Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Tuesday, in light of the atmosphere of a truce between Israel and Hezbollah and the preparation to launch peace negotiations with the Hebrew state.

The Elysee Palace confirmed, "This visit will be an opportunity for the Head of State to reaffirm his commitment to full and comprehensive respect for the ceasefire in Lebanon, France's support for the country's territorial integrity, and the Lebanese state's measures to ensure the country's complete and comprehensive sovereignty and arms exclusivity."

Macron calls on Israel to abandon its "greeds" in Lebanon

Later, the two officials held a press conference, in which Macron called on Israel to “abandon its expansionist ambitions” in Lebanon, adding that Hezbollah must “stop” its attacks on Israeli territory and that its disarmament should be done “through the Lebanese themselves.”

The French president said that the current truce "must be extended to allow the start of a real stabilization process." He called for "a political agreement between Israel and Lebanon that guarantees the security of the two countries, the territorial integrity of Lebanon, and lays the foundations for the normalization of relations between them." He also stressed that his country is "ready to maintain its commitment in the field" after the scheduled departure of the United Nations Interim Peacekeeping Force (UNIFIL) at the end of the year.

For his part, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam confirmed that his country demands a "complete withdrawal" of Israeli forces from its territory, in addition to the return of Lebanese prisoners and displaced persons, within the framework of the ongoing negotiations with the Hebrew state, ahead of a new meeting expected Thursday in Washington.

On Thursday, the United States will host a new round of talks between Israel and Lebanon, aiming to move forward towards reaching an agreement after a ceasefire takes effect between the Hebrew state and Hezbollah, according to what a US official told the Agence France-Presse.

The Lebanese Prime Minister also said that his country needs 500 million euros to confront the humanitarian crisis amid a ten-day truce between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah. Salam added, "Lebanon needs 500 million euros to confront the humanitarian crisis during the next six months."

Read also: The ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel begins, and Trump hints at a new round of negotiations with Tehran

The two officials also discussed "humanitarian support for the displaced and continuing the economic and financial reforms necessary to consolidate Lebanon's sovereignty, rebuild it, and restore its prosperity."

Salam's visit came after the killing of a French soldier from the United Nations peacekeeping forces (UNIFIL), in an ambush attributed to Hezbollah, which denied responsibility for it. The French President denounced the attack and described it as "unacceptable," calling on the Lebanese authorities to uncover the circumstances of the incident and arrest the perpetrators.

The death toll from Israeli strikes on Lebanon rose to 2,454 people

On Tuesday, the Lebanese authorities announced that the toll of Israeli strikes had risen to 2,454 dead and more than 7,600 wounded since the outbreak of war between Hezbollah and the Hebrew state on March 2.

In a related development, the French Foreign Minister said on Sunday that Paris had received “assurances” from the Lebanese government that it would do everything in its power to arrest those responsible for the ambush. The minister also criticized Israeli military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon, which resulted in destruction and displacement. He added, "Destroying Lebanon or the Lebanese state will not eliminate Hezbollah, but on the contrary, it will increase its strength."

Regarding the plan drawn up by the Lebanese government, under international pressure, to disarm Hezbollah and began implementing it before the last war, Barrow said that “it must be resumed because... the only political solution to guarantee peace and stability in Lebanon is the disarmament of Hezbollah... and then, of course, Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon.”

France 24/AFP

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