Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun meets Rubio ahead of Trump talks

Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun initiated a series of high-level diplomatic engagements in Washington, beginning with discussions with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The meetings are part of Beirut's broader strategy to obtain American support for ceasing hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah while facilitating an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanese territory.

During his Sunday meeting with Rubio, Aoun emphasized the necessity for Lebanon and the United States to collaborate on implementing the agreement signed by both countries on June 26. The initial phase of this implementation would involve Israeli forces withdrawing from southern Lebanon. The US State Department subsequently released a statement in which Rubio commended the Lebanese government's commitment to reclaiming national sovereignty, disarming Hezbollah, and dismantling its militant infrastructure as steps toward achieving peace.

Aoun and First Lady Naima Aoun arrived at Joint Base Andrews on Saturday to commence their official visit. The Lebanese president is scheduled to meet with President Donald Trump on Tuesday and engage with members of the US Senate and other administration officials. This represents the first Washington visit by a Lebanese head of state since Michel Sleiman met President Barack Obama in 2009, occurring at a critical juncture when Israeli forces remain positioned in southern Lebanon months after the latest conflict with Hezbollah, complicating Beirut's efforts to reassert governmental control.

According to Lebanese officials, Aoun intends to present Trump with a written proposal detailing mechanisms for dismantling Hezbollah's military arsenal while securing Israeli withdrawal under the US-brokered framework. Before departing Beirut, Aoun stated his intention to urge Trump to apply necessary pressure on Israel to honor the agreement, which envisions Hezbollah's disarmament, gradual Israeli troop withdrawal, and improved bilateral relations. Officials indicated that Aoun believes Trump possesses unique leverage to compel Israeli compliance and assist Lebanon in restoring sovereignty.

The Washington visit follows US-mediated negotiations between Lebanese and Israeli representatives in Rome earlier in the week, where discussions centered on implementing the June framework. These negotiations have revealed significant obstacles facing Aoun's administration, as Hezbollah has rejected direct Lebanese-Israeli negotiations and disarmament efforts, while Israel has conditioned full withdrawal on Hezbollah's complete disarmament and demilitarization.