Aoun seeks military cooperation deal with the European Union

A move led by Aoun, in cooperation with Salam, aims to move toward signing a military cooperation agreement between Lebanon and the European Union, with the goal of bringing in a European military force to replace UNIFIL, whose mandate will end at the end of this year. Aoun appears to be acting on the basis that such an agreement does not require a cabinet decision or a law issued by parliament. His visit to Rome aims to discuss this file with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. He is also seeking to persuade the Italians to provide the European funding needed to lead the force, which is expected to be formed from countries such as Germany and Scandinavia, amid an American-Israeli desire to exclude France and Spain in particular and leave a special role for Germany.