MOSCOW: Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will visit Moscow next week for high-level talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a Palestinian envoy said, as the ongoing Gaza conflict continues to draw international concern.
Russia’s state-run TASS news agency cited the Palestinian ambassador in Moscow as saying that Abbas will arrive in Moscow on Monday, with his meeting with Putin scheduled for Tuesday. Abbas heads the Fatah Palestinian movement, a rival to Hamas.
Ambassador Abdel Hafiz Nofal said that the discussions between Abbas and Putin will focus on the recent escalation in Gaza. “They will address the situation in Gaza and discuss the role that Russia can play and what measures can be taken,” Nofal said.
The Ambassador added: “We have a very difficult situation, and Russia is a country that is close to us. We need to consult each other.”
Moscow for years tried to balance ties with all major players in the Middle East — including Israel and the Palestinian groups.
But since the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza and Russia’s own offensive on Ukraine, Vladimir Putin has moved closer to Israel’s enemies, Hamas and Iran.
The Kremlin has repeatedly criticized Israel’s response to the October 7 attacks and called for restraint.
Since October 7, Israel has launched a relentless bombardment campaign in Gaza killing nearly 40,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, the territory’s health ministry said.
