Joseph Aoun in Washington: Bilal Saab firmly believes 'this meeting couldn't have gone any better'

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun traveled to Washington on Tuesday in what observers view as a pivotal moment for the nation's diplomacy. Bilal Saab, a senior advisor close to Aoun, tells it the visit couldn't have gone better — a chance to secure international backing for Lebanon's sovereignty and state institutions amid serious regional challenges including Hezbollah's influence and Israeli-Lebanese security tensions. According to Saab, lasting progress won't come from military intervention but from gradually strengthening Lebanon's own governance. The diplomat suggests Washington views Lebanon as both a testing ground for American regional strategy and a fragile state-building effort requiring sustained political support—not just symbolic declarations.

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