Russian companies are reportedly interested in investments in Lebanon’s energy and oil sectors, after the formation of a Lebanese government, the Saudi Asharq el-Awsat newspaper reported on Tuesday.

Russian involvement in the Lebanese political and economic files has recently been enhanced after 3 Lebanese political delegations visited Moscow in the last few months, said the daily.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Monday accused President Michel Aoun, the caretaker cabinet and the parliamentary majority of standing idly by in the face of the country’s growing crises.

“It turns out that there is a president in the Baabda Palace but he is not present. There is also a caretaker premier in the Grand Serail but he is not present and the same applies to the parliamentary majority. If they wanted to act, it would have shown by now. The only solution is early parliamentary elections,” Geagea said at a press conference that followed a meeting for the Strong Republic bloc.

Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri will not meet Speaker Nabih Berri in the coming hours and no meeting has been officially scheduled, media reports said on Monday.

“Berri is stressing that his initiative has not died,” MTV reported.

A senior Hizbullah official on Monday lashed out at “those hiding behind political and sectarian interests in order to achieve personal goals.”

“The problem is not in the so-called points of contention. We are rather facing some politicians who want to achieve personal goals that they were not able to achieve during the ordinary days, and they are now taking advantage of people’s suffering and pain to achieve them,” Sayyed Hashem Safieddine, the head of Hizbullah’s Executive Council, said, referring to the government formation crisis.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri announced Monday that his initiative for resolving the government formation deadlock enjoys “Arab, regional, international and Western support, including from France.”

He, however, expressed grave concern that “the insistence of some parties on crippling demands will further complicate matters instead of leading to a breakthrough.”

Al-Mustaqbal Movement deputy head Mustafa Alloush on Monday stressed that he is convinced that Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri “will submit a new (cabinet) line-up comprising 24 ministers.”

“The real obstructor will be exposed,” Alloush added, in an interview with al-Jadeed television.

Lebanon's currency hit a new low against the dollar on the black market Monday, continuing its freefall in a country gripped by political deadlock, an economic crisis and increasing shortages.

President Michel Aoun met at Baabda Palace on Monday with John Desrocher, the head of the US delegation sponsoring the indirect maritime demarcation talks between Lebanon and Israel, the National News Agency reported on Monday.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara el-Rahi on Monday accused Lebanon’s political leaders of “complete negligence” and of obstructing the formation of a government.

The maritime demarcation negotiations between Lebanon and Israeli reportedly jumped back to the forefront once the head of the US delegation sponsoring the Naqoura talks, American Ambassador John Desrocher, arrived in Beirut yesterday afternoon, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Monday.