The President of the Republic, Joseph Aoun, affirmed that “every step he took regarding the negotiations was in coordination and consultation with the Speakers of the House of Representatives and the government, contrary to what is reported in the media.” During his meeting with a delegation of economic bodies, Aoun responded to the criticism that Lebanon agreed, through the American statement issued following the tripartite talks in Washington, to give Israel the freedom to continue its aggression against Lebanon, saying that “this statement was stated in a statement issued by the US State Department, and it is the same text that was adopted in November 2024 and which was agreed upon by all parties at the time. It is a statement and not an agreement, because the agreement is concluded after the end of the negotiations.” He stressed, "We are making every effort to reach a solution to the current situation away from violence and blood, and this solution is achieved through negotiations." He added, "If Israel believes that through violations and destruction of border villages, it can obtain security, it is mistaken, because it has tried that before and it did not lead to results," stressing that "the only thing that can protect the borders is when the Lebanese state with its full strength is present in the entire south and even the international borders." He pointed out that "Israel must realize once and for all that the only path to security is through negotiations, but it must first fully implement the ceasefire in order to then move on to negotiations," explaining that "there are many difficulties facing us to achieve stability, and we are working as much as possible to mitigate the consequences of the military attacks on Lebanon, and we are making intensive contacts for this. It is not permissible for the Israeli attacks to continue as they are after the ceasefire is announced." He pointed out, "We are now waiting for a date to be set by the United States to begin negotiations." He also stressed that "the entire European Union and Arab countries supported our choice of negotiations, and there is a consensus among the Lebanese people, especially the people of the south, on the necessity of ending the war." He pointed out that "the Lebanese file is today on the table of the American President, who holds a special place for Lebanon. During the phone call between us, he impressively praised Lebanon and its people, and this is an opportunity for us today that we must take advantage of to cross our country to the shore of safety and peace."