Russia – Palestine: Vladimir Putin Receives Mahmoud Abbas in Kremlin

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Palestinian National Authority (PNA) President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen), who arrived in Russia on an official visit on Monday evening (August 12), met in the Kremlin to discuss “the development of bilateral cooperation” and exchange views on the “alarming escalation” of the situation in the Middle East. The two leaders analyzed various issues related to the development of bilateral cooperation, and in the second part of the summit, which lasted about an hour and a half, Putin and Abbas exchanged views on the situation in the Middle East in light of the dangerous escalation of the conflict between Israel and Palestine, paying special attention to the unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip.

The Palestinian leader’s visit to the Russian Federation was originally scheduled for November 15, 2023, but was postponed at the request of the Palestinian side. The current meeting took place not only against the backdrop of Israel’s ongoing operation in Gaza, but also the assassination in Tehran of Ismail Haniyeh, former Hamas political leader.

As Palestinian sources emphasized, “Abbas’s visit to Russia took place in the context of a call by Egypt, Qatar, and the USA to both Israel and the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas to ‘resume cease-fire talks in Gaza.’”

Welcoming Abbas, Putin emphasized that there is no alternative to a peaceful solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. “Moscow’s position,” the Russian leader said, “is based on UN decisions and does not change: the process must be moved forward, insisting on the universally recognized international legal basis, which provides for the establishment of the State of Palestine within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.”

For his part, Abbas emphasized that “Palestine is ready for an international peace conference.” Abbas further noted that “the strategic solution to the problem lies in” granting the Palestinian people the right to freedom, independence, and self-determination; ending all unilateral and hostile Israeli actions in the West Bank and Jerusalem; determining all aspects of the status of Palestine, based on the decisions of an international peace conference; and the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops within an agreed time frame and under the supervision of the international community.” Abbas stressed that in order to finally achieve a stable and lasting peace in the Middle East, it is necessary “to complete the implementation of the solution, based on international law and envisioning the creation of two states, and to guarantee Israel’s withdrawal from the Palestinian territory occupied in 1967.”

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister and Presidential Envoy to the Middle East Mikhail Bogdanov emphasized that during the visit a number of important discussions were held to “develop coordinated approaches to find a diplomatic solution to the current situation in the region and avoid further escalation of the conflict that has cost the lives of many tens of thousands of people.”

Before his conversation with Putin, the leader of the Palestinian National Authority laid a laurel wreath and red flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Eternal Flame under the Kremlin walls.

Palestinian Ambassador to Russia Abdel Hafiz Nofal told reporters that Abbas will meet with Arab ambassadors in Moscow after the summit with Putin and before leaving for Palestine on August 14.