Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who is in Moscow for an official visit.
Putin emphasized Russia’s commitment to peaceful resolution of conflicts, including those in the Middle East, during the meeting. He acknowledged Russia’s longstanding and strong ties with the Arab world, particularly Palestine, expressing deep concern over the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Palestine.
Putin attributed the root cause of the Gaza conflict to the disregard for international resolutions aimed at establishing an independent Palestinian state. He stressed the importance of implementing UN resolutions, particularly the creation of an independent Palestinian state, to achieve lasting peace in the region.
Putin expressed grave concern over the heavy civilian casualties, particularly women and children, in Gaza. According to the UN, the death toll has reached nearly 40,000 people.
“We do everything we can to support the Palestinian people. As you know, we have already sent some 700 tons of humanitarian aid,” Putin concluded.
Abbas expressed gratitude to the Russian government and people, stating: “We feel that Russia is one of the dearest friends of the Palestinian people.”
He highlighted the adoption of over 1,000 resolutions by the UN General Assembly and Security Council since 1947, stressing that only one resolution, if implemented, could have secured Palestinian rights. He attributed the failure of this resolution to US pressure.
Western countries supporting Palestinian statehood have voiced their support for the Palestinian Authority, recognized internationally as the representative of the Palestinian people. However, the Palestinian Authority is a rival of Hamas and controls only parts of the West Bank.
Currently, the State of Palestine is recognized by 146 UN members and half of the G20, including China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Brazil, South Africa, and Türkiye.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed not to allow the creation of a fully functional Palestinian state. However, Israeli authorities have witnessed a decline in Western support due to the mounting death toll resulting from the recent incursion into Gaza.