Lebanese President Joseph Aoun meets Rubio ahead of Trump talks | Articles of Controversy

Aoun is expected to meet with Donald Trump on Tuesday, as Beirut seeks US help to end the Israel-Hezbollah conflict.

Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun has started a series of meetings in Washington, negotiating with the Secretary of State of the United States Marco Rubio, while Beirut is asking for US help to end the war between Israel and Hezbollah and protect Israel from southern Lebanon.

Aoun told Rubio on Sunday that Lebanon and the US should work together to establish a US-backed agreement with Lebanon and Israel on June 26 to enter into force, starting with the first withdrawal of the Israeli army from southern Lebanon, according to a post X from the Lebanese leadership.

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Rubio praised the Lebanese government “for its efforts to take control of Lebanon, disarm Hezbollah and eliminate its terrorists and move toward peace,” according to a statement from the US State Department.

Aoun and First Lady Naima Aoun he arrived at Joint Base Andrews on Saturday at the beginning of the tour, according to the Lebanese leadership.

Aoun is expected to meet US President Donald Trump on Tuesday and hold talks with members of the US Senate and other government officials.

This is the first visit to Washington by the head of state of Lebanon since Michel Sleiman met with President Barack Obama in 2009.

It comes at a critical time in Lebanon, where Israeli forces have remained in southern areas for months after the latest war with Hezbollah, disrupting Beirut’s efforts to re-establish government control, while thousands of people remain homeless.

According to a Lebanese official who spoke to Reuters, Aoun wants to provide Trump with a written plan that explains how Hezbollah’s weapons will be eliminated while protecting Israel from under the US agreement.

Before leaving Beirut, Aoun said he would urge Trump to “encourage Israel” to implement the deal, which sees the confiscation of Hezbollah weapons. gradual withdrawal of the Israeli armyit is the way to a stable relationship between the two countries.

The same official told Reuters that Aoun believes Trump has a unique opportunity to force Israel to withdraw its troops and help Lebanon regain its sovereignty.

A visit to Washington follows part of the negotiations between the US between Lebanese and Israeli officials in Rome earlier this week, where negotiators discussed how to implement the June plan.

The talks have revealed the challenges facing Aoun’s government. Hezbollah he refused Lebanon’s direct talks with Israel and attempted disarmament, with Israel insisting it will not withdraw completely unless Hezbollah is disarmed and withdrawn.

Aoun, 62, is a former head of the US-backed Lebanese army who was elected president last year after more than two years without a head of state. His appointment marked a major political shift in Lebanon after Israel’s 2024 offensive weakened Hezbollah and the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad left the Iran-backed group one of its main allies in the region.

At his swearing-in ceremony, Aoun vowed to restore what he called the government’s “military strength”, which had made Hezbollah a popular feature of his leadership.

The Lebanese army later sent areas of southern Lebanon to seize Hezbollah weapons under the 2024 post-war ceasefire agreement.

But those efforts were hampered after hostilities resumed in March, when Hezbollah launched an attack on Israel in support of Iran, which had been attacked by Israel and the US. This led to another Israeli war in Lebanon.

Aoun publicly criticized Hezbollah for dragging Lebanon into war. In a real meeting with European Union officials in March, he said that the group “has no value for the interests of Lebanon or the lives of its people” and that it is working “for the calculation of the Iranian government”.

He quickly called for direct talks with Israel, a major break from Lebanon’s policy following repeated attacks on Israel since 1978. The move has drawn criticism from Hezbollah and its supporters, as Aoun has dropped Trump’s invitation to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.