French president stresses need for ceasefire, support for Lebanese authorities in call with US counterpart

French President Emmanuel Macron stressed the need for a robust ceasefire in Lebanon and collective support for Lebanese authorities in a call with his US counterpart Donald Trump on late Sunday.

"I welcomed President Trump’s commitment to Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and stressed the importance of a robust ceasefire and of our collective support for the Lebanese authorities," Macron wrote on the US social media company X on Monday.

He said he welcomed efforts to reach an agreement between the US and Iran, "which represents a unique opportunity to build a new security framework involving all relevant actors, in order to enable lasting stabilization of the region."

"I indicated that we were ready to fully support these efforts and to take our full share in their implementation. This is the purpose of the international mission we have built with the British and our partners, ready to be deployed as soon as an agreement is reached, in order to help secure maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz," Macron added.

He reiterated his willingness to contribute their expertise and capabilities to the broader negotiations.

Israel's latest assault on Lebanon began in March, soon after Hezbollah's retaliation to the US-Israeli war on Iran. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently ordered troops to expand the incursion, despite a US-mediated ceasefire in place.