Russia says it’s talking to both Israel and Palestinians as Putin blames failure of US policy

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech at the 20th Annual Meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club in Sochi, Russia, October 5, 2023. Sputnik/Grigory Sysoyev/Pool via REUTERS

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Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday said the explosion of violence between Israel and the Palestinians showed the failure of U.S. policy in the Middle East, and the Kremlin said it was in touch with both the warring sides.

Putin’s spokesman said Moscow would seek to play a role in resolving the conflict, but did not specify how. Instead, Putin took the opportunity to blame the sharp escalation on years of U.S. policy in the region.

“I think that many people will agree with me that this is a vivid example of the failure of United States policy in the Middle East,” Putin told visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani.

Putin said the United States had sought to “monopolise” international efforts at forging peace, and accused Washington of neglecting to seek compromises that would be acceptable to both sides.

The United States, Putin said, had ignored the interests of Palestinians, including their need for their own independent Palestinian state.

He did not mention Russia’s own role in the Middle East peace process over the years. Along with the United States, the United Nations and the European Union, it has since 2002 formed part of a “Quartet” of powers charged with helping to mediate.

Israel is pounding Gaza with the fiercest air strikes in the 75-year history of its conflict with the Palestinians, in response to a wave of deadly Hamas attacks at the weekend. Moscow has said it is worried that the violence could escalate into a broader conflict in the Middle East.

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