Melike Pala
24 September 2025•Update: 24 September 2025
BRUSSELS
French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday that Israel will not achieve security or stability as long as a permanent war continues with its neighbors.
Addressing the UN General Assembly in New York, Macron underlined the need for peace across the Middle East, stressing that conflict with Palestine, Lebanon and other regional actors only fuels instability.
"There cannot be any security or stability for Israel if we have a permanent war being waged with its neighbors," he said.
He said a credible plan was adopted Tuesday to end the war in Gaza and to preserve a two-state solution. He welcomed the fact that 142 UN member states signed the "New York Declaration," which France and Saudi Arabia spearheaded to push forward peace efforts.
Turning to Syria, Macron said the country must "recover its unity and sovereignty" after the fall of the Assad regime. He stressed that France supports a political transition that respects all components of Syrian civil society, adding that only inclusive governance can rebuild stability and allow the country to fully reclaim its sovereignty.
Macron cautioned that the region's stability would be threatened if Iran's nuclear program is not placed "once again fully under control."
On Ukraine, Macron reiterated France’s support, noting that Paris and London built a coalition of 35 countries to provide long-term security guarantees for Kyiv.
"Ukraine has often said it's ready for a ceasefire and can agree to negotiations. It accepts them. It's now up to Russia to prove that it can choose peace, even at the time it's stepping up attacks against Ukrainian civilians and the provocations," he said.
He accused Russia of provocations against European nations, including Poland and Estonia, saying: "What happened in recent weeks in the air, in Poland’s airspace, the provocations that we saw in Estonia and elsewhere, are the proof that all European people are also challenged by threats of Russian destabilization."
