EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France — Leaders of the Group of Seven called for an immediate and robust ceasefire in Lebanon on Wednesday and backed efforts by the Lebanese government to establish a state monopoly on arms through the disarmament of Hezbollah, as part of a broader statement addressing security challenges across the Middle East.
The appeal was included in a joint declaration issued at the conclusion of the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, where the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain and the United States also welcomed a diplomatic framework aimed at reducing tensions following recent conflict involving Iran and reiterated that Tehran must never obtain a nuclear weapon.
"In Lebanon, we support, through an immediate robust ceasefire, the Lebanese leadership's efforts to achieve the disarmament of Hezbollah and the monopoly of arms, and to protect Lebanon's territorial integrity and sovereignty with the appropriate international security guarantees," the leaders said in their statement.
The declaration came as U.S.-brokered negotiations between Lebanon and Israel have entered a technical phase following talks in Rome aimed at implementing a framework agreement intended to reduce hostilities along the border. U.S. officials described the discussions as constructive and said both sides had agreed on guidelines for establishing pilot zones that would involve the deployment of Lebanese armed forces, the gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops and measures addressing the presence of armed groups in southern Lebanon.
Lebanese officials have continued to call for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from areas occupied during the latest conflict, while Israel has maintained it will not complete a withdrawal until security conditions improve and Hezbollah is disarmed. Hezbollah has publicly rejected proposals requiring it to surrender its weapons, arguing that such steps cannot proceed under current circumstances.
Beyond Lebanon, the G7 leaders pledged support for further diplomatic efforts to address regional security concerns, accelerate humanitarian and reconstruction assistance for Gaza, and work with international partners to reduce vulnerabilities in global energy supplies following disruptions linked to conflict in the Middle East.
The leaders said they remained committed to supporting diplomatic initiatives designed to reinforce regional stability, while negotiations on implementing the Lebanon framework are expected to continue through technical discussions in the coming days.
