Lebanese President to Meet Trump to Discuss Security and Economy
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun is scheduled to meet US President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday to discuss bilateral relations, security developments, and Lebanon’s economic situation. A senior Lebanese official told Anadolu on Saturday that the leaders’ talks will focus on direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, as well as the implementation of the US-mediated framework agreement, particularly efforts to strengthen the ceasefire.
The official stated that the US, as mediator, has the ability to pressure Israel to implement the agreement according to the agreed framework. Support for the Lebanese Armed Forces will also be a key agenda item, especially in the pilot zones outlined in the agreement with Israel. Both sides are also expected to discuss measures to support Lebanon’s economic recovery, which continues to face prolonged challenges.
According to the source, the discussions will also cover the future of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), whose mandate expires this year, while a phased withdrawal of the force is scheduled to begin in 2027. The official affirmed that Lebanon welcomes the presence of any UN forces that can support the deployment of the Lebanese army in the south and enhance regional stability. Aoun’s visit follows the conclusion of the sixth round of US-mediated negotiations between Lebanon and Israel in Rome on Wednesday. Beirut and Tel Aviv signed the US-mediated framework agreement on 26 June 2026. The deal stipulates a gradual Israeli withdrawal from all occupied Lebanese territories, beginning through a pilot model in two zones whose identities have not yet been disclosed. The agreement does not set a deadline for the Israeli withdrawal, linking the completion of the process to the readiness of the Lebanese Armed Forces to assume full security responsibility in the vacated areas and the disarmament of armed groups, referring to Hezbollah in Lebanon. According to official Lebanese government data, Israeli attacks on Lebanon since 2 March have killed more than 4,300 people and wounded approximately 12,200 others.