Trump spoke to Libyan commander Haftar on Monday, White House says

The White House has said that President Donald Trump spoke by phone on Monday to Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar and discussed “ongoing counterterrorism efforts and the need to achieve peace and stability in Libya.” The statement on Friday said Trump “recognized Field Marshal Haftar’s significant role in fighting terrorism and securing Libya’s oil resources.” The two discussed “a shared vision for Libya’s transition to a stable, democratic political system,” according to the statement. It was unclear why the White House waited several days to announce the phone call, Reuters said. On Thursday, both the US and Russia said they could not support a UN Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire in Libya at this time. Russia objects to the British-drafted resolution blaming Haftar for the latest flare-up in violence when his Libyan National Army (LNA) advanced to the outskirts of Tripoli earlier this month, diplomats said.