Antibes – 25.06.2026: At their first official summit in Antibes on the French Riviera, France’s President Emmanuel Macron and Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced the formation of a multinational coalition to s쳮d the UN peacekeeping mission UNIFIL in Lebanon. Macron stated that this new initiative aims to exert a stabilizing influence in Lebanon, where the security situation remains tense. UNIFIL has been stationed in southern Lebanon since 1978 and currently faces major challenges due to the complex political and military situation in the region.
The planned coalition is expected to operate under French-Italian leadership and will assume responsibility for security and monitoring along with partner countries. Macron emphasized the significance of this European initiative for stability in the Middle East, as well as for containing simmering conflicts and external influences. Giorgia Meloni highlighted Italy’s role as an important actor in the Mediterranean region and stressed the need to strengthen multilateral cooperation.
The United Nations welcomed the announcement as a potential advance but pointed out the importance of close coordination with existing UN structures and local authorities to ensure an orderly transition. The security situation in Lebanon remains fragile, marked by political tensions and armed groups challenging state structures. The new coalition aims to address this issue through enhanced cooperation.
This initiative is situated within the broader geopolitical context of closer strategic collaboration between France and Italy in the Mediterranean. Lebanon’s stability is considered a key prerequisite for security in a region influenced by external actors such as Iran and Syria. Thus, the multinational coalition could also serve as an instrument to contain regional conflicts.
Details regarding the coalition’s composition and mandate are still being finalized. Both heads of government emphasized that the initiative is meant to complement and extend the United Nations’ multilateral approach, not replace it. Balancing international presence with respect for Lebanese sovereignty remains a central challenge.
Experts view the initiative as an attempt to more strongly assume European responsibility in the security situation in the Middle East. They assess the measure as a response to UNIFIL’s limited capacity to act amid dynamic political developments in Lebanon. The planned coalition could provide new impetus for peace and stability in the region but requires broad international support.
The summit in Antibes marks a significant step in cooperation between France and Italy. It demonstrates both countries’ willingness to position themselves as leading forces in global security matters and to promote multilateral solutions. In the coming months, it will become clear how the coalition’s concrete implementation unfolds and what response it receives within the international community.
Sources
- Franceinfo
- Élysée