A joint statement expressing full support for the people and government of Lebanon was issued by the Foreign Ministers of Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, and the United Kingdom, along with the European Union’s High Representative.

In the statement, they reaffirm their commitment to supporting the Lebanese government in delivering humanitarian assistance to those affected by the conflict, including more than one million displaced people, and in preserving the country’s internal cohesion.

Joint Statement

“We, the Foreign Ministers of Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, and the United Kingdom, together with the High Representative of the European Union, express our full support for the Government and people of Lebanon, who are once again suffering the tragic consequences of a war that is not of their making.

We extend our condolences to the families of the victims and express our solidarity with civilians affected by this conflict, both in Lebanon and in Israel.

We hold Hezbollah responsible for the current situation. We strongly condemn its Iranian-backed attacks against Israel, which must cease immediately. Preventing further regional escalation, particularly involving Iran, is an urgent priority.

We support the historic and courageous decisions taken by the Lebanese government. Strengthening the state, its institutions, and its sovereignty is the only way to protect Lebanon from foreign interference. In this context, we call for the immediate launch of political negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, which could help bring a definitive end to the conflict and lay the groundwork for peaceful regional coexistence.

The Lebanese government has our full backing in this approach, and we encourage it to continue along this path by implementing concrete and irreversible measures at all levels to restore full sovereignty across its territory, including the state’s exclusive authority over the use of force. We are committed to supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces and Internal Security Forces, including through active participation in an international support conference when conditions allow. We also urge the Lebanese authorities to continue implementing the necessary fiscal and economic reforms, in line with IMF requirements, to strengthen long-term stability.

We call on all parties to move immediately toward de-escalation and a return to the ceasefire arrangements, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1701 (2006). We stress the need to protect civilians, humanitarian workers, peacekeepers, and civilian infrastructure—including airports, ports, and bridges—fully in line with international humanitarian law.

We are deeply concerned by the displacement of more than one million people in Lebanon. We call on Israel to avoid further escalation, including any ground operation on Lebanese territory, and reiterate that Lebanon’s territorial integrity must be fully respected.

We remain committed to supporting the Lebanese government in providing humanitarian assistance to those affected by the conflict and in maintaining national unity, building on the emergency measures already taken by our countries. We urge the wider international community to contribute to this critical humanitarian effort and help ensure dignified living conditions for all those affected.

Finally, we reaffirm our strong support for the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in southern Lebanon and stress the importance of maintaining open deconfliction channels. We strongly condemn all recent attacks against UNIFIL personnel, which have resulted in unacceptable losses. We call on all parties, at all times, to guarantee the safety and security of UNIFIL staff and facilities, in accordance with international law, and we commend their vital work under extremely challenging conditions.”