Macron urges Netanyahu to show 'responsibility and rationality'

French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to "show responsibility and rationality," directly challenging Israeli policies in Gaza, the occupied West Bank and southern Lebanon during a wide-ranging interview with broadcaster France 2 television.

G7 summit yields US-Iran agreement

Macron condemned what he described as "new settlements and acts that are absolutely unacceptable in the West Bank," arguing that such measures fuel resentment and violence across the region. The French president spoke a day after the Group of Seven summit concluded in Evian, where he said the US-Iran agreement was finalized in the final hours of the gathering.

He rejected suggestions that the deal amounted to a capitulation by Tehran, noting that while many of Iran's military capabilities had been destroyed, key issues would still need to be addressed during negotiations expected to continue over the next 60 days. Macron reiterated that France and the United Kingdom stand ready to help secure the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and said Paris is prepared to participate in negotiations on Iran's nuclear program, according to the Anadolu Agency. He also pledged that France would assist the Lebanese army in reasserting control over its territory.

Macron praises Ukraine's military innovation

On Ukraine, Macron praised Kyiv's resistance since the start of the war. "Ukraine has resisted with bravery and an ability to innovate and produce militarily that has astonished everyone since the first day," he said.

The French president stated that he hopes to increase pressure on Russia to bring Moscow back to the negotiating table and welcomed what he described as progress made by US President Donald Trump in efforts related to the conflict.