More than 10 European Union countries are prepared to provide personnel and other resources for a planned EU mission to support Lebanon’s armed forces, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Tuesday.
The proposed mission is intended to strengthen Lebanon’s military and help the government extend its authority across the country, including as Beirut faces pressure to disarm Hezbollah.
The EU has been examining ways to provide training and advice to the Lebanese armed forces as the United Nations prepares to wind down its peacekeeping operation in the country.
Kallas said the EU was not seeking to replace the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), whose mandate is due to expire at the end of 2026.
“Our objective is to strengthen the Lebanese armed forces and the ability of the Lebanese state to provide security across its territory,” Kallas told reporters in Ireland after a meeting of European defence ministers.
An EU official said the bloc was aiming to establish the mission in mid-October, with personnel potentially deployed towards the end of 2026 or in early 2027.
Kallas did not say which countries would take part.
Strengthening the Lebanese army is closely linked to international efforts to have Hezbollah give up its weapons.
Western governments have repeatedly called for Lebanon to disarm the Iran-backed group. The issue is also a central element of a ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel following a conflict that unfolded alongside the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.
UNIFIL is expected to begin a year-long drawdown and withdrawal after its mandate expires.
France has separately been pushing for an international conference aimed at strengthening Lebanon’s armed forces and has proposed an international force as part of efforts to succeed UNIFIL.
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