Moscow: Amid the Israel-Hamas clashes, Russian President Vladimir Putin criticised the United States, saying that the sharp escalation of the Israel-Palesinian conflict is a vivid example of policy failure in the Middle East. During a meeting with the visiting Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani in Moscow, Putin accused Washington of attempting to ‘monopolise’ the search for a settlement in the region. He stated, “I believe many would agree with me that it’s is a clear illustration of the failure of US politics in the Middle East.”
💬 President Putin: Unfortunately, we see a sharp escalation of the situation in the #MiddleEast.
☝️ This is an example of the US failed policy in the region. It tried to monopolise the settlement process, but was not concerned with finding compromises acceptable to both sides. pic.twitter.com/gpqNeXnH0B
— MFA Russia 🇷🇺 (@mfa_russia) October 10, 2023
According to reports, Kremlin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov earlier mentioned that Moscow has been engaging in dialogues with both Israeli and Palestinian parties in pursuit of a peaceful resolution. In response to a question regarding a potential visit by Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas to Moscow, Peskov said that the visit had been scheduled before the outbreak of hostilities and that the date would be officially announced after it’s finally determined.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that creating a Palestinian state was the “most reliable” solution for peace in Israel as fighting terrorism alone would not ensure security. Lavrov asserted that a “Palestinian state that would live side by side alongside Israel” represented the most credible means of addressing the conflict.
He expressed deep concern over the loss of life and the declaration of Gaza Strip as a target for Israeli retaliation. Russia has serious questions about West’s policy on Israel. He said: “As they say that (fighting) should be stopped immediately, that Israel should destroy the terrorists. But this was done before… and never after the situation calmed down did they come to the fact that the main reason (for the conflict) needs to be eliminated.” Lavrov emphasises the need to address the Palestinian problem without further delay.