On 16 May, UK Ambassador to Libya Martin Longden met with Libyan National Army (LNA) commander Khalifa Haftar in Benghazi, stressing that all parties should engage in the UN political process. Longden also visited Derna where he met with Belqassim Haftar, the Director of the Reconstruction and Development Fund (and one of Khalifa Haftar’s sons). On 20 May, Longden said in a TV interview with Libya al-Ahrar that the UK is concerned about Russia’s growing presence in Libya and plans to collaborate with partners, including the US, to counteract Russian expansion in Libya. He indicated that Russia’s presence in Libya is counteractive to stability and a political solution.
On 19 May, US Charge d’Affairs Jeremy Berndt met with Belqassim Haftar, the Director of the Reconstruction and Development Fund (and one of Khalifa Haftar’s sons) in Benghazi. They discussed the reconstruction process in Derna, economic opportunities and challenges in Libya, and ‘the importance of transparent revenue-sharing.’ Berndt also met with Khaled Haftar, Chief of Staff of the LNA Security Units (and another of Haftar’s sons), discussing challenges to regional stability, as well as the importance of safeguarding Libyan sovereignty and securing Libya’s borders. Berndt said that the US will continue to engage military officials from all regions of Libya. On 20 May, Berndt met with First Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives (HoR) Fawzi Nuwairi, discussing how best to support the UN-facilitated political process and strengthen bilateral US-Libya relations.