On 7 May, UN-backed Libyan PM al-Serraj met with Italian PM Conte in Rome to discuss the latest developments in Libya. Conte insisted after their meeting that there can be no military solution to the country’s crisis. Conte also said that he was planning to talk with the commander of the Libyan National Army Khalifa Haftar too. Later the same day, German Chancellor Merkel received al-Sarraj in Berlin. On 8 May, French President Macron met with him in Paris. Al-Serraj didn’t hide his unhappiness with the position France has taken vis-à-vis his support to General Haftar. “We don’t understand France’s position while Khalifa Haftar is a rebel indicted for war crimes and crimes against humanity,” claimed the Libyan side. Paris denounced these accusations as “unacceptable and unjust.” The meetings did not seem to dissipate the tensions as illustrated by further actions taken by the GNA a day later. The GNA published a decree asking for 40 foreign firms to renew their licenses or have their operations suspended. Firms, including French oil major Total, have three months to renew their licenses, pressuring Europe to stop an eastern military offensive against Tripoli.