Germany proposes EU peacekeeping mission for Lebanon

Germany has put forward a proposal for the European Union to establish its own peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, intended to succeed the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) once its mandate concludes.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul announced the initiative, emphasizing the need to ensure "no security vacuum arises with a European mandate following the UNIFIL mission." He highlighted that Lebanon is showing signs of stabilization and that Germany, as part of Europe, must support this positive trajectory.

Wadephul articulated that an EU mission could help create conditions conducive to the withdrawal of Israeli armed forces from Lebanon and hinder any resurgence of Hezbollah's presence.

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We should examine in the EU whether we can ensure that no security vacuum arises with a European mandate following the UNIFIL mission.

The German parliament recently approved extending the country's participation in UNIFIL until December 31, 2026. The UN Security Council has already mandated a one-year phased withdrawal of UNIFIL, set to begin after its mandate expires at the end of 2026.

This German proposal comes amid ongoing discussions about the future of international peacekeeping in the region. The EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, had previously indicated the EU's consideration of deploying its own mission to southern Lebanon.

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do everything it can to ensure that the process continues to move in a positive direction.