The caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati welcomed German Foreign Minister Annalena Bierbock during their meeting at the Grand Serail at the start of her official visit to Lebanon. He noted that her third visit to Lebanon within months reflects Germany's strong interest in Lebanon and its stability and in preventing it from facing risks. Mikati appreciated Germany's active role at both the European and international levels, and he expressed gratitude for the German commitment to Lebanon. He considered that the primary way to restore calm to southern Lebanon is through the cessation of the ongoing Israeli aggression that has persisted for months and the full implementation of UN Resolution 1701.
Mikati emphasized that "Lebanon values the active German participation in UNIFIL and the ongoing cooperation between it and the army as well as the developmental work being carried out by UNIFIL units in several southern regions." He also stressed the need to halt the Israeli aggression against Gaza, call for a comprehensive ceasefire, return to the two-state solution, and empower the Palestinian people to obtain their rights, urging the international community to take tangible steps to reach a political solution to the Middle East conflict. He expressed hopes for continued funding and support for UNRWA.
For her part, the German minister noted that "the situation on the blue line is delicate and risks are present, thus cooperation among all parties is necessary to de-escalate and achieve a ceasefire in Gaza, which would inevitably reflect a ceasefire in the south." The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants in the caretaker government, Abdullah Bou Habib, received Bierbock, where they discussed the conditions in Lebanon and the region. They emphasized the importance of making every effort to prevent escalation and the expansion of war.
Minister Bierbock expressed Germany's concern over the current tensions in the region and warned of the risk of reaching an impasse, especially if parties refuse a ceasefire. Minister Bou Habib took the opportunity to reaffirm that "Lebanon always seeks peaceful solutions, especially amidst the challenges it currently faces," calling for mobilizing international support for Lebanon and the need to strengthen its armed forces. Minister Bierbock linked the achievement of the agreed-upon reforms between Lebanon and the International Monetary Fund to facilitating the process of securing international support for Lebanon, highlighting the delicate economic and political situations that European countries are currently experiencing.
