Putin discusses Mideast with Trump, hosts Abbas
MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday (Tuesday in Manila) at the start of talks with Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas that he had discussed the Middle Donald Trump.
“I just spoke with American President Trump,” Putin told Abbas before continuing the talks behind closed doors. “Obviously we spoke about
The Palestinian leader was visiting Moscow in a bid to secure Putin’s support after Trump outraged the Palestinians and their allies by recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
The “situation is far from what we want to see,” Putin said, adding that he has “always supported the Palestinian people.”
“It is very important for us to know your personal opinion in order to set the record straight and put in place a common approach to solve this problem,” Putin told his guest.
Trump told Putin that “now is the time to work toward an enduring peace agreement,” according to a White House statement.
Abbas has refused any contact with Trump’s administration since Washington’s decision at the end of last year.
“Given the atmosphere created by the United State’s actions, we . . . refuse any cooperation with the United States as a mediator,” said Abbas.
“In case of an international meeting, we ask that the United States be not the only mediator, but just one of the mediators.”
Abbas’s meeting with Putin came two weeks after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also visited Moscow.