Lebanese President Joseph Aoun sought international backing for the country’s armed forces at talks in Paris on September 17, as Lebanon faces unresolved questions over Hezbollah’s disarmament, Israeli withdrawal and security arrangements after the UN peacekeeping mission’s mandate expires.

French President Emmanuel Macron and Jordan’s King Abdullah II joined Aoun for discussions intended to prepare further international support for the Lebanese Army and security forces. Military officials and representatives from the US, Europe and regional partners also participated.

The talks focused on strengthening Lebanese state authority and establishing its exclusive control over weapons. The French presidency said the leaders opened a meeting of military experts under the Aqaba Process to support those objectives.

No new date for the planned donor conference was immediately announced, according to a report by AP. The meeting nevertheless provided a forum for discussing the army’s requirements and the conditions under which international partners could help meet them.

Aoun called for sustained assistance, arguing that Lebanon needed a long-term partnership to implement its commitments. He also said the Lebanese state would assume its responsibilities and proposed a mechanism to identify priorities and monitor support, according to the account in L’Orient Today.

Military assistance is closely linked to the US-sponsored framework agreement reached between Lebanon and Israel in June. That agreement envisages Hezbollah’s disarmament, a gradual Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon and the deployment of Lebanese forces.

Progress depends on more than equipment. Hezbollah’s resistance to disarmament remains a central obstacle, while Lebanese officials have warned that attempting to impose it through military confrontation could provoke domestic conflict. The government argues that a stronger army is necessary both to extend state authority and to build confidence in its ability to protect communities.

France has advocated support for the Lebanese Army as part of that process. Its position also includes expectations of the Lebanese authorities: the French presidency sought a credible deployment plan as the basis for substantial assistance, equipment and training, AFP reported.

Macron said he would speak with US President Donald Trump and other American officials about implementation of the framework agreement, according to L’Orient Today. He also urged Israel to fulfil its commitments.

The discussions addressed the future international presence in southern Lebanon. The mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, or UNIFIL, ends on December 31, 2026. That deadline marks the end of its operational mandate, with an orderly withdrawal to follow during 2027, under the UN’s agreed timetable.

France and Italy have promoted arrangements to support Lebanon after UNIFIL. Options under discussion include an international coalition and a European mission to train and advise Lebanese forces. These proposals have different possible functions and should not be treated as an agreed replacement peacekeeping force.

Israel has opposed retaining a substantial international force near its border. Israeli UN ambassador Danny Danon said on September 8 that Israel favoured direct security arrangements with the Lebanese military. However, he distinguished deployments near the border from foreign training assistance elsewhere in Lebanon, according to his remarks reported by The National.

For Lebanon, the immediate challenge is to secure the resources and political support needed to extend state authority while obtaining an Israeli withdrawal. For its international partners, the outstanding questions include how assistance would be delivered, how progress would be assessed and what security arrangements could follow UNIFIL.

The Paris talks advanced those discussions, but decisions on funding, implementation and the future international presence remain necessary.