The US on Tuesday reiterated its backing for a meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.
“President Trump has been clear that direct engagement between the two countries is the best way to swiftly advance a lasting peace and security agreement," a State Department official said in a statement.
“Diplomacy is ongoing, and we will not comment on our ongoing discussions with the two countries," the official continued.
“Hezbollah is still trying to derail negotiations with attacks on Israel and threats inside of Lebanon. We are working to create the conditions and political momentum needed to move this forward," concluded the State Department official.
The US statement comes a day after Aoun made clear that a high-level summit with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is currently out of the question.
Aoun emphasized that the cessation of hostilities must be the primary focus before any direct political engagement can be considered.
"The timing is not suitable now to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. We must first reach a security agreement and stop the Israeli attacks against us before raising the issue of a meeting," he said in a statement.
A ceasefire between the two nations officially began at midnight on April 17 and was subsequently extended for three weeks by US President Donald Trump.
President Aoun, who has been pressured by Washington to meet Netanyahu for direct talks, maintains that the path forward must be rooted in security stability. He reiterated that the implementation of a firm security agreement and a total halt to military operations are absolute prerequisites for any future political dialogue at the leadership level.