France and Italy propose multinational coalition to replace UNIFIL; Lebanon welcomes
At their Antibes bilateral summit, Macron and Meloni announced plans to build a European-led force to take over from UNIFIL when its UN mandate expires December 31; President Aoun called it a sincere commitment to Lebanese sovereignty
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Summary
France and Italy announced plans to establish a multinational coalition to succeed UNIFIL in southern Lebanon, with President Macron making the joint statement alongside Prime Minister Meloni at the Antibes bilateral summit on June 26. The UN Security Council voted last August, under US pressure, to end UNIFIL's mandate on December 31, 2026. Macron said the coalition would operate "in coordination with the EU and the United Nations to strengthen Lebanon's sovereignty and its armed forces." Lebanese President Joseph Aoun welcomed the initiative on June 27, calling it "a sincere expression of the international commitment to supporting Lebanon's sovereignty and stability." Hezbollah, which was not a party to the July 2026 Trilateral Framework Agreement, has not commented on the proposal.
Why it matters
UNIFIL's December exit creates a security vacuum in southern Lebanon that neither the Lebanese Armed Forces nor the Trilateral Framework fully fills. A Franco-Italian-led replacement force would give Paris and Rome a direct security stake, but its viability depends on whether Hezbollah accepts its presence, a question neither government has answered.