US President Donald Trump assured his Lebanese counterpart Joseph Aoun of his commitment to meet Lebanon’s request for a ceasefire “as soon as possible,” the Lebanese Presidency said Thursday.
The two leaders held a phone call in the afternoon during which Aoun “renewed his thanks for the efforts being made by President Trump to reach a ceasefire in Lebanon and to ensure lasting peace and stability, paving the way for a broader peace process in the region,” the presidency said in a statement.
Aoun also expressed hope for the continuation of these efforts “to achieve a ceasefire as soon as possible,” according to the statement.
Trump, for his part, voiced his support for Aoun and Lebanon, and “stressed his commitment to meeting the Lebanese request for a ceasefire as soon as possible,” it added.
The US president said Wednesday in a post on his Truth Social platform that Washington is “trying to get a little breathing room between Israel and Lebanon. It has been a long time since the two leaders have spoken, like 34 years. It will happen tomorrow.”
The announcement follows US-mediated talks between Lebanese and Israeli delegations that took place Tuesday at the State Department in Washington, DC. The Lebanese group Hezbollah was not represented in the meeting, which rejects the move.
The two sides agreed to begin direct peace negotiations, with the location and timing to be determined later. This comes at a time when Israel continues to occupy areas in southern Lebanon, some for decades and others since the previous war in 2023-2024.