EU chief welcomes 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon, Israel

European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday welcomed the announcement of a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon mediated by the United States and said that Europe would continue to call for Lebanon's sovereignty.

In her remarks, she also said that Europe would continue to support Lebanon via humanitarian aid.

She said in a post on X, "I welcome the announced 10 day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, mediated by President Trump. This is a relief, as this conflict has already claimed far too many lives. Now, we need not just a temporary pause, but a path to permanent peace. Europe will continue to call for the full respect of Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity. And we will keep supporting the Lebanese people through substantial humanitarian aid."

Her remarks come after US President Donald Trump on Thursday announced that Israel and Lebanon have reached an agreement to initiate a 10-day ceasefire, following intensified diplomatic efforts to reduce hostilities in the region.

The US President shared that he held "excellent conversations" with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, confirming that both leaders have committed to the temporary truce as a step towards a broader resolution.

Highlighting the historic nature of the recent diplomatic engagement, Trump noted that the two nations recently participated in high-level discussions in the American capital for the first time in more than thirty years. These talks involved senior US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio.