The French President Emmanuel Macron will receive Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Commander-in-Chief of the Lebanese Army Joseph Aoun on Friday in Paris. The two men will be received by the President of the Republic while Lebanon is plunged into a major political crisis and threatened by a risk of escalation in the Middle East after Iran's attack on Israel.
The Lebanese chief of staff, who already met European counterparts in March in Italy, seeking help for his army, will also be present, added the French presidency, without further details. The army plays a crucial role in preserving Lebanon's stability and is sometimes cited as a solution to the political crisis shaking the country. Since the start of the conflict in Gaza on October 7, Lebanon has regularly been the scene of exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and Israel. Since 2020, France, the former mandatory power, has been involved in the search for a solution in this country, plagued by recurring political blockages and in the midst of an economic collapse, without managing to overcome the differences between the parties.