Lebanese President Joseph Aoun Says UNIFIL Must Stay, Proposes EU Force if Needed

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun told European diplomats that maintaining the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) is the best option for the country's southern border. He said that if UNIFIL cannot continue after its mandate ends on Dec. 31 2026 because of Security Council procedures, an alternative force – potentially led by the European Union – should be created to replace it.

Aoun made the comments during a meeting in Beirut with EU ambassador Sandra De Waele, other European envoys and after a recent discussion with U.S. President Donald Trump. He urged European countries to support the U.S.-brokered framework agreement signed on 26 June 2026 between Lebanon and Israel, which outlines Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, the deployment of Lebanese army units, and the disarmament of Hezbollah in designated pilot zones.

The president emphasized that Lebanon’s stability affects the wider region and that the proposed replacement force would help the Lebanese army clear southern areas, remove unexploded ordnance and assist the implementation phase of the framework. UNIFIL, present since 1978, is slated for a phased drawdown in 2027 following the end of its mandate.