MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday told Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas that Moscow was “concerned” about civilian deaths in Gaza.
“We are concerned above all about civilian losses,” Putin said, according to images shown on Russian state television.
“We are doing everything ... to support Palestine and the Palestinian people,” he said.
The only way to create “long-lasting, reliable, stable peace in the region” is implementation of all UN resolutions and the “creation of a fully-fledged Palestinian state,” he added.
Abbas told Putin: “We feel that Russia is one of the dearest friends of the Palestinian people.”
The leaders held talks after a weekend strike on a Gaza school building left at least 93 people dead, including 11 children, according to the Gaza civil defense agency.
Israel’s military said the raid had “eliminated” 31 militants.
Moscow for years tried to balance relations with all major players in the Middle East — including Israel and the Palestinians.
But since the Israel-Hamas war and Russia’s own offensive on Ukraine, Putin has moved closer to Israel’s foes, Hamas and Iran.
The Gaza war began with the Hamas October 7 attack on Israel which resulted in the deaths of 1,198 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.
Israel’s military offensive in Gaza has killed at least 39,929 people, according to a toll from the territory’s health ministry, which does not provide a breakdown of civilian and militant deaths.
The Kremlin has repeatedly criticized Israel’s response to the October 7 attacks and called for restraint.
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Putin tells Abbas ‘concerned’ about Palestinian civilian toll
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Putin tells Abbas ‘concerned’ about Palestinian civilian toll
- Vladimir Putin: ‘We are doing everything ... to support Palestine and the Palestinian people’
Russian envoy reports ‘productive meeting’ with US negotiators
WASHINGTON: Russian President Vladimir Putin’s envoy said Wednesday that he had joined a “productive meeting” with US negotiators, the first talks between Moscow and Washington since the start of the Iran war.
The discussions in Florida come after the United States lifted some sanctions on Russian oil earlier this week — imposed because of Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine — to ease prices as war engulfed the Middle East.
“Thank you, Steve, Jared, and Josh, for a productive meeting,” Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev posted on X, referring to US President Donald Trump’s roving global envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and White House Senior Adviser Josh Gruenbaum.
“The teams discussed a variety of topics and agreed to stay in touch,” Witkoff posted earlier.
Trump said this week that Putin, to whom he spoke on Monday, wanted to be “helpful” in relation to the Middle East war.
Dmitriev said after the Florida meeting that Washington was “beginning to better understand” the importance of Russian oil.
“We discussed promising projects that could contribute to the restoration of Russian-American relations and the current crisis on global energy markets,” he wrote in a Telegram post.
“Today, many countries, primarily the United States, are beginning to better understand the key, systemic role of Russian oil and gas in ensuring the stability of the global economy, as well as the ineffectiveness and destructive nature of sanctions against Russia.”
The discussions in Florida come after the United States lifted some sanctions on Russian oil earlier this week — imposed because of Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine — to ease prices as war engulfed the Middle East.
“Thank you, Steve, Jared, and Josh, for a productive meeting,” Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev posted on X, referring to US President Donald Trump’s roving global envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and White House Senior Adviser Josh Gruenbaum.
“The teams discussed a variety of topics and agreed to stay in touch,” Witkoff posted earlier.
Trump said this week that Putin, to whom he spoke on Monday, wanted to be “helpful” in relation to the Middle East war.
Dmitriev said after the Florida meeting that Washington was “beginning to better understand” the importance of Russian oil.
“We discussed promising projects that could contribute to the restoration of Russian-American relations and the current crisis on global energy markets,” he wrote in a Telegram post.
“Today, many countries, primarily the United States, are beginning to better understand the key, systemic role of Russian oil and gas in ensuring the stability of the global economy, as well as the ineffectiveness and destructive nature of sanctions against Russia.”
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