Kremlin: Putin Will Discuss Middle East Crisis with Abbas

The Kremlin announced late Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin will discuss the situation in the Middle East with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Moscow today. The Kremlin mentioned in a post on Telegram that "it is expected that there will be an exchange of views regarding the situation in the Middle East amid the worsening current Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the unprecedented humanitarian disaster in the Gaza Strip." Abbas is traveling to Moscow for a long-anticipated visit that will last until Wednesday, after which he is scheduled to travel to Turkey for talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Russia has established close relations with Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Arab leaders, including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Russia condemned the recent assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, head of Hamas's political bureau, and called on all parties to cease destabilizing the Middle East.