Macron tells Aoun disarmament plan has broad European and international support

French President Emmanuel Macron told Thursday President Joseph Aoun, in a phone call, that the army's plan for arms monopolization will receive "broad European and international support" and must be characterized with "accuracy."

Macron and Aoun discussed the plan that the army will develop to implement the Cabinet's decision to disarm Hezbollah and other armed factions. Macron lauded the step as "important", said it should be done with precision, and assured that the plan will have broad European and international support.

The two leaders also discussed the extension of UNIFIL’s mandate, as the Security Council scheduled a vote Thursday on a resolution that would end the more than four-decade operation of the U.N. peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon on Dec. 31, 2026.

Trump administration political appointees came into office wanting to shut down UNIFIL as soon as possible and have secured major cuts in U.S. funding for the force.

They regard the operation as a waste of money that is merely delaying the goal of eliminating Hezbollah’s influence and restoring full security control to the Lebanese armed forces.

European nations, notably France and Italy, objected to winding down UNIFIL too quickly. They argued that ending the peacekeeping mission before the Lebanese army was able to fully secure the border area would create a vacuum that Hezbollah could easily exploit.

A French draft resolution suggested to end UNIFIL’s mandate in 16 months instead of a year.

Aoun considered the extension of UNIFIL’s mandate "an advanced step that will help the Lebanese army complete its deployment up to the internationally recognized borders, once Israel's complete withdrawal is achieved, hostile actions cease, and Lebanese prisoners are returned."

Aoun and Macron also discussed two international conferences for the reconstruction of Lebanon and for supporting its army and the need to implement the required financial and economic reforms to unlock international aid.