Europe Welcomes 10-Day Ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon

European leaders welcomed the announcement of a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, and called for a path to permanent peace.

In a post on the X platform, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the announcement, calling the temporary ceasefire a relief.

"Now, we not only need a temporary pause, but a path to permanent peace. Europe will continue to call for full respect for Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity," he said, quoted by ANTARA from Anadolu, Friday, April 17.

Meanwhile, President of the European Council Antonio Costa called the announcement "extraordinary news", adding that it must now be implemented and verified on the ground.

"It is important for Israel and Lebanon to engage in meaningful negotiations and produce concrete results - for the sake of their people and the prospect of a sustainable peace," he said.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also called the ceasefire "very good news", while congratulating the Lebanese and Israeli governments.

"I hope this ceasefire can create conditions for successful negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, leading to a full and lasting peace," he said.

Meanwhile, Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot said the ceasefire must now be confirmed on the ground, adding this was an important step after weeks of devastating violence.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said: "It is crucial to work to turn this opportunity into lasting peace. Violence and suffering of civilians must stop."

Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger said the announcement of a 10-day ceasefire has raised hopes

"Now it all depends on whether this can survive and lead to a sustainable political process," he added.

Welcoming this development, Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said this was a necessary step to ease tensions and pave the way forward.

"This is an important step to prevent terrible suffering for the Lebanese people and promote stability in the Middle East," the Portuguese Foreign Ministry wrote on X.

Following the announcement, the Swiss Foreign Ministry called on all parties to fully respect it and to take advantage of this opportunity to move towards a lasting political solution, while respecting Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Previously on Thursday, US President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to start a 10-day ceasefire starting at 17.00 EST (Friday, 05.00 WIB).

The announcement followed US-mediated talks between Lebanese and Israeli delegations that took place on Tuesday at the State Department in Washington, DC.