The US administration is stepping up diplomatic pressure to end the long-standing political division in Libya through a large-scale plan for power-sharing and unification of state institutions, Al Jazeera reported.
As part of this offensive, Secretary of State Marco Rubio held key talks in Washington with Lieutenant General Saddam Haftar, deputy commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA).
In a statement published on his official profile on the „X“ platform in the last hours, Marco Rubio confirmed the meeting and outlined the main topics of the conversation:
„I met with the deputy commander of the Libyan National Army, Saddam Haftar, to discuss the unification of the Libyan armed forces and the creation of conditions for lasting peace. The United States will continue to work with Libyan leaders and international partners to support a more peaceful, united and prosperous Libya“.
The diplomatic initiative is actively led by Massad Boulos, a senior advisor to President Donald Trump. The new American approach relies on „realism on the ground“ and provides for a transitional agreement: the current Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeiba to maintain his post in Tripoli (Western Libya), while Saddam Haftar – son and successor to Marshal Khalifa Haftar – to take a senior leadership position within a new unified presidential structure with the aim of holding elections on February 17, 2027.
Positions of regional powers and international shuttles
Washington's accelerated move has triggered a wave of diplomatic activity among the main regional players, who until now supported opposing sides in the conflict:
Egypt and the United Arab Emirates (UAE): The two countries, which have traditionally supported eastern Libya and the Haftar family, expressed full support for the American plan. Before Haftar's arrival in Washington, Marco Rubio visited Abu Dhabi to coordinate actions. In parallel, in Cairo, the director of Egyptian intelligence held closed meetings with Libyan representatives to ensure security along the common border in the event of a possible unification of the armies. Turkey: Ankara, which is the main military guarantor of the security of the government in Tripoli (Western Libya), is approaching with cautious optimism. The Turkish government insists that any agreement must guarantee the legitimacy of the treaties concluded in the Eastern Mediterranean and not lead to a monopoly of power by military factions from the East. France: President Emmanuel Macron also received Saddam Haftar in Paris a few days before his visit to the United States. France sees the stabilization of Libya as a key element in stopping the migratory pressure across the Mediterranean and limiting Russian influence (through the remnants of the PMC “Wagner“ / “African Corps“) in the Sahel and southern Libya.
If the negotiations are successful, representatives of the governments of Tripoli and Benghazi will be invited to the White House later this month to sign the final pact in the presence of President Donald Trump.