The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday that Russia and the United Arab Emirates discussed coordinated efforts to resolve the war on Gaza by creating an independent Palestine and establishing a political solution to the regional crises in Yemen, Syria, and Lebanon.

The statement was released on behalf of talks currently being held in the UAE between Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov with diplomatic advisor to the President of the UAE, Anwar Gargash, as well as other officials.

"When exchanging views on the current military and political situation in the hot spots of the Middle East, special attention was paid to the unprecedented escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, including the catastrophic situation in the Gaza Strip..." it read.  

It added, "The importance of consolidating efforts for a speedy implementation of international legal decisions, envisioning the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with its capital in East Jerusalem, coexisting in peace and security with Israel, was confirmed". 

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They underlined "the need for cessation of hostilities in the Gaza Strip as soon as possible and resolution of humanitarian problems," in addition to the bilateral desire to coordinate approaches "in the interests of a political settlement of the crises in Yemen, Syria, and Lebanon."    

Meeting one-on-one

This comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, where the latter affirmed the urgency of halting the war on the Gaza Strip and underscored the need for a swift resolution to the escalating situation.

"It is necessary to stop the bombing [of the Gaza Strip] as soon as possible. This issue is not only a matter of our region, it is a matter of all mankind. Therefore, it is necessary to find a very quick solution to this issue," Raisi said.

🇷🇺🇮🇷 Vladimir Putin to the Iranian President:

"When I was flying over Iran, I wanted to land in Tehran and to meet you.

But I was informed that you wanted to visit Moscow. Relations between our countries are growing rapidly." pic.twitter.com/lh7IipIj7z

— Megatron (@Megatron_ron) December 7, 2023

Putin arrived in Saudi Arabia two days ago for a sudden visit, as well, engaging in urgent discussions with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman covering a range of topics, including energy, the Israeli war on Gaza, and Ukraine.

Putin stated at a meeting with MBS that his country and Saudi Arabia enjoy good relations in all areas of cooperation, including the economy, and that it is crucial to share opinions about the state of the region.

The Middle East's circumstances would improve as a result of Saudi Arabia and Russia's political collaboration, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud stated on Wednesday.

Putin was heading a delegation including high-ranking officials from various fields, such as oil, economy, foreign affairs, space, and nuclear energy. According to the Kremlin, the agenda of discussions with the two countries included oil, the Israeli war on Gaza, the situation in Syria and Yemen, and regional stability.