Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is traveling to Lebanon on Monday Dec. 12. This highly symbolic visit sends a message of peace and stability and highlights the longstanding bonds of friendship between Greece and Lebanon.
Mitsotakis’ presence in Beirut emphasizes Greece’s support to the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon of Nov. 26, 2024. Leading up to the signing of the agreement Mitsotakis had expressed his concerns and willingness to aid in a ceasefire that would ensure peace in the region.
After the conclusion of the October EUMED-9 Summit in Cyprus, addressing the developments in the Middle East, Mitsotakis had noted “We are witnessing an escalation that is also testing the people of Lebanon. I would like to add my voice to the call for a ceasefire both in Lebanon and Gaza. Unfortunately, the humanitarian disaster has reached nightmarish proportions.”
The prime minister further stressed the need for restraint “so that southern Lebanon does not become a new Gaza. It would be a humanitarian tragedy that the broader region cannot withstand.”
The prime minister’s visit is highly symbolic and significant, as he is the first leader of a third country, and a member of the European Union, to visit Beirut after the ceasefire agreement.
His presence in Beirut sends a message of stability and peace, as well as a message that highlights Greece’s strong role and presence in the region.
Greece and Lebanon are connected by traditional bonds of friendship, with Mitsotakis expected to reiterate Greece’s readiness to assist in strengthening Lebanon’s state institutions including the Armed Forces, among others, which play a crucial role in the implementation of the ceasefire.
