DUBAI: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun arrived at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Thursday, where he was received by French President Emmanuel Macron for a working meeting.

The two presidents discussed efforts to end Israeli attacks on Lebanon amid Lebanese-American-Israeli negotiations and a framework agreement, according to the Lebanese presidency.

The meeting comes as France hosts talks aimed at supporting Lebanon’s armed forces and security services, with the Lebanese military being called on to play a central role in deploying in the country’s south and working to disarm Hezbollah under the framework agreement with Israel.

Speaking from France Aoun said the opportunity to set Lebanon on a different course must be seized and said the country's internal determination to build a state was receiving “regional and international support and recognition."

Military delegations and experts from several countries, along with representatives of governments and international organizations, are expected to attend Thursday’s meeting ahead of the wider conference, according to Lebanon’s presidency.

The conference was first discussed in late July between Macron and Jordan’s King Abdullah and received the backing of Aoun, according to French newspaper Le Monde.

Jordan has since expressed its “full support” for the conference. King Abdullah reaffirmed Amman’s support for Lebanon’s security and sovereignty during a meeting with Lebanese Army Commander-in-Chief Rodolph Haykal in Amman on Sunday, the Lebanese Army said.

Jordan and Lebanon have strengthened military cooperation over the past year. Haykal visited Jordan in July 2025, where the two armies highlighted their strategic partnership and cooperation in several areas, including military training.

Jordan’s Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Youssef Al-Hneiti visited Beirut in January 2026 for talks on training and strengthening the Lebanese Army’s capabilities, with Amman also providing food aid to the military.

Aoun thanked Macron for France’s support for Lebanon and his personal follow-up of the country’s situation, as well as his efforts to strengthen the authority and sovereignty of the Lebanese state and support its official security and military institutions.

Aoun also praised an initiative launched by Macron and the Italian prime minister concerning the post-UNIFIL mandate.

The two sides agreed to maintain communication and strengthen cooperation across various fields, particularly the economic and energy sectors, and to resume oil and gas exploration in Lebanese blocks.

The Paris meeting comes as Lebanon and Israel continue to face challenges in implementing a US-mediated framework agreement reached on June 26 following four months of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

The agreement called for a ceasefire, the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory and the disarmament of Hezbollah.