Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas is set to travel to Moscow next week for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the ongoing conflict in Gaza, according to a statement from a Palestinian envoy.
The Palestinian ambassador in Moscow, as reported by Russia's state-run TASS news agency, confirmed that Abbas will land on Monday and hold a meeting with Putin on Tuesday. Abbas, who leads the Fatah movement, which is in opposition to Hamas, will discuss the developments in Gaza following the October 7 attacks on Israel.
Ambassador Abdel Hafiz Nofal highlighted that the discussion will include Russia's potential involvement and possible actions. He emphasized, "We are in a very challenging situation, and Russia is a nation that is close to us. We need to engage in mutual consultations."
Historically, Moscow has endeavored to maintain balanced relationships with all significant actors in the Middle East, including both Israel and the Palestinians. However, since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict and Russia's military actions in Ukraine, Putin's stance has shifted closer to Hamas and Iran, who are adversaries of Israel.
The Kremlin has consistently criticized Israel's reaction to the October 7 attacks and has urged for a more restrained approach.
