France, Lebanon and Jordan Meet in Paris to Shape UNIFIL Successor Mission

September 17, 2026 — French President Emmanuel Macron hosted Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Jordan's King Abdullah II at the Invalides in Paris, alongside senior European and Arab military and political officials, to discuss international support for the cash-strapped Lebanese Armed Forces and options for a new multinational mission to succeed the UN's UNIFIL peacekeeping force, which is due to withdraw by the end of the year. France and Italy are leading efforts to stand up a training-and-advisory mission, with more than 10 EU states reportedly ready to contribute. Aoun called for 'a long-term partnership' rather than a temporary fix, saying any transition 'must not lead to any security vacuum' and must instead strengthen state authority; Macron said supporting the Lebanese Army is 'crucial' to filling the space left by Israeli forces in the south, while King Abdullah highlighted the Army's need for spare parts and drone-detection equipment. France and Jordan separately signed a bilateral defense cooperation agreement. The summit took place against the backdrop of a fragile June 26 framework: Israel has hardened its position on withdrawal from south Lebanon ahead of its October elections, and the 8th round of US-mediated Rome talks on Hezbollah disarmament — postponed from mid-September — remains pending. The parties agreed to reconvene at year's end to assess progress.