BRUSSELS, April 8 (Xinhua) -- European countries, hard hit by surging energy prices triggered by tensions in the Middle East, have broadly welcomed the two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran, though doubts persist about its prospects for delivering lasting peace.
Following the ceasefire announced Tuesday evening, just ahead of a deadline set by Washington, the French daily Le Monde said the respite had offered a breather for Europe, which has been hard hit by energy market turmoil stemming from the conflict that began on Feb. 28, when the United States and Israel launched joint strikes against Iran.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Wednesday, "I welcome the ceasefire agreement reached overnight, which will bring a moment of relief to the region and the world."
Echoing this sentiment, Italian Undersecretary to the Prime Minister's Office Alfredo Mantovano said in Naples on Wednesday that "we all breathed a sigh of relief last night."
The ceasefire has fueled hopes for the rapid resumption of oil tanker transit through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping corridor accounting for around 20 percent of global oil flows, which has been effectively closed during the conflict.
Oil prices plummeted on Wednesday with Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, dropped nearly 17 percent, to 91 U.S. dollars a barrel.
However, uncertainty surrounds the ceasefire as many leaders have cautioned that the truce will be meaningful only if it leads to a genuine and lasting peace.
"The goal must now be to negotiate a swift and lasting end to the war within the coming days. This can only be achieved through diplomatic means," said a joint statement issued Wednesday by the European Council endorsed by 10 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.
Bulgaria's Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Nadezhda Neynski said "it is too early for optimism, because the tense situation in recent weeks is extremely difficult."
Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide struck a similar note, saying that a ceasefire does not mean peace and that the parties must show maximum restraint and use the opportunity to pursue a diplomatic solution.
Several other European leaders are still reeling from U.S. President Donald Trump's remarks on Tuesday that Iran's "whole civilization will die tonight," as well as from his earlier threat to strike and destroy bridges and power plants across Iran.
Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said in a post on social media platform X on Wednesday that it is good that the United States did not bomb the civilian population, adding that only a negotiated solution could achieve peace and stability.
Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen, in a separate statement posted on X Wednesday, said that Finland calls for respect for the security and human rights of all people, as enshrined in the UN Charter.
European leaders also voiced concern over Lebanon, after Israel said it supported the temporary truce while making clear that Lebanon was not covered by the ceasefire deal and it will continue fighting in Lebanon against Hezbollah.
Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed in a statement on Wednesday that the agreement should contribute to stabilizing the situation in Lebanon and ensuring the country's territorial integrity, describing it as an important condition for achieving lasting peace in the region.
"All fronts must cease," said Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation Jose Manuel Albares in an interview with the National Radio of Spain on Wednesday, noting that the current ceasefire arrangement between Iran and the United States does not address the situation in Lebanon.
Hours after the truce took effect, Iran's parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf accused the United States of violating the ceasefire agreement.
In a statement published on social media platform X, Ghalibaf said three parts of Iran's 10-point ceasefire proposal have been violated. The violations are Israel's continued attacks on Lebanon, the entry of a drone into Iranian airspace, and the denial of Iran's right to enrich uranium, he said. ■