BRUSSELS, April 8 (Xinhua) -- Western leaders on Wednesday welcomed the two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran, while urging swift diplomatic efforts to turn the ceasefire into a lasting end to the Middle East war after weeks of escalation that widened sharply with U.S. military action.
Ten Western leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, endorsed a joint statement issued by the Council of the European Union.
The leaders stated that the immediate goal must be to negotiate a swift and lasting end to the conflict in the coming days, and that this can only be achieved through diplomatic means.
They urged quick progress toward a substantive negotiated settlement, stressing that such an outcome would be crucial to protect civilians in Iran and ensure security across the region, while averting a severe global energy crisis.
They also thanked Pakistan and other partners for helping secure the deal, and called on all sides to implement the ceasefire, including in Lebanon.
The United States and Iran announced a two-week ceasefire on Tuesday evening, about an hour before a deadline set by Washington in the morning. Israel said it accepts the truce but will continue fighting in Lebanon against Hezbollah. ■
