Russian President Vladimir Putin met on Jan. 22 with the President of the State of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas, who was in Moscow on a two-day working visit. The discussion primarily focused on how Russia could help bring about a just settlement in Palestine and the Middle East, and how that would be conveyed in discussions with Donald Trump.
Prior to the meeting, the Palestinian WAFA News Agency reported on Jan. 21 that Abbas’s presentation to Putin “wil l… cover preventing displacement and annexation, halting Israeli settlement expansion and settler violence, securing the release of withheld Palestinian funds, and stopping measures aimed at undermining the institution of the Palestinian National Authority.”
On Jan. 21, Izvestia quoted Putin as saying that in any discussion about Trump’s “peace proposal” and Board of Peace, Russia would promulgate “recommendations for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip and its basic social infrastructure, health care system, water supply, and uninterrupted food supply.”
In his meeting with Abbas on Jan. 22, Putin was flanked by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov, Deputy Chief of the Russian Federation Armed Forces Igor Kostyukov, and others, conveying the importance of the meeting. Putin stated that “Our approach to the issues of Palestine and to a settlement in the Middle East is principled and consistent. We believe that only the establishment and full functioning of the Palestinian state can lead to a lasting settlement of the Middle East conflict.”
Putin further declared, “You may have heard that we are willing to provide $1 billion to this new body, the Board of Peace, primarily to support the Palestinian people, assist in the restoration of the Gaza Strip, and address the general resolution of problems facing Palestine….”
Putin added, with a great twist of irony, that Russia would acquire the $1 billion “from the funds that were frozen in the United States by the former administration. I believe this is possible. We discussed this option earlier with members of the U.S. administration.”
In response, Abbas noted, “For over 50 years, our nations have been bound by a strong friendship that has developed over the decades and continues on the correct path.”
Abbas summarized: “I would like to cite some statistics. The number of killed and wounded in the Gaza Strip has reached 260,000. There are also many thousands of wounded in the West Bank. The scale of destruction is catastrophic. The Gaza Strip has been almost entirely destroyed, with 85% of infrastructure—educational (schools, universities), religious sites (mosques, churches), and so forth—lying in ruins…. Nevertheless, the Palestinian people are holding onto their land…. The Palestinian people are resolved that they will not abandon their land, whatever the cost.”
