Lebanese parliament speaker says success of Aoun-Trump meeting depends on results on the ground

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said the success of this week’s meeting between US President Donald Trump and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun should be judged by developments on the ground, particularly the implementation of a ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon.

In remarks published on Wednesday by the newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat, Berri said, “What matters now, after the summit between Presidents Trump and Aoun in Washington, are the results on the ground, not just the way things appeared.”

He said that the key test would be “establishing a ceasefire and implementing withdrawals,” adding that these objectives had not yet been achieved.

Referring to the reported Israeli withdrawal from the town of Zawtar al-Gharbiya on Monday, Berri said the move could “hardly be considered a withdrawal,” arguing that the town had not been fully occupied. He also alleged that Israeli strikes on homes, civilian neighborhoods, infrastructure, and residents near villages in southern Lebanon were continuing.

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Berri said the outcome of the Washington meeting would ultimately depend on whether such developments changed on the ground.

“I previously said, ‘Achieve results and I will be proud of you,’ which hasn’t happened yet,” he said.

Asked about President Trump’s reported remark that Berri would join the process once he saw progress in implementing the agreement, the Lebanese parliament speaker responded: “It seems that President Trump understands me better than some Lebanese.”

President Joseph Aoun began his visit to Washington on Saturday and met with President Donald Trump on Tuesday to discuss developments in Lebanon and the region.

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