Russian President Vladimir Putin believes it is necessary to unite the efforts of the international community to find a political settlement to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
"Russia's position is characterized by consistency and a non-conjectural nature. We advocate for the consolidation of international efforts to de-escalate the situation, establish a ceasefire, and seek a political solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict," stated the Russian head of state during an emergency BRICS summit.
According to Putin, "the BRICS states and countries in the region could play a key role in this effort." "Therefore, the participation of colleagues from the Middle Eastern states, who were invited to become full BRICS members this year, is particularly significant in our meeting today," noted the Russian leader. "Taking this opportunity, I would like to respectfully acknowledge their efforts to normalize the situation, particularly mentioning the peace summit in Egypt and the extraordinary Arab-Islamic summit in Saudi Arabia," the Russian president addressed the meeting participants, which is being conducted via video link.
Humanitarian pauses and a full-fledged ceasefire
The Russian head of state considers it indicative that "all BRICS countries speak from similar positions regarding the need to collectively achieve a long-term and sustainable settlement of the longstanding Palestinian-Israeli problem." In his view, "this was evident in the UN General Assembly vote on a draft resolution in favor of a humanitarian truce, as well as in the discussion of the UN Security Council resolution on the Middle East settlement adopted for the first time in seven years."
"While this resolution primarily calls for humanitarian pauses rather than a comprehensive ceasefire, we view its approval as a positive step," stated Putin. He underscored the importance of such humanitarian pauses, and ideally, a complete ceasefire, to facilitate ongoing efforts in freeing hostages and evacuating civilians and foreign nationals from the Gaza Strip.
Earlier, the UN Security Council approved a humanitarian resolution proposed by Malta, focusing on aiding children in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict zone. The resolution, comprising seven points, urges the creation of extended humanitarian ceasefires and corridors in the Gaza Strip and the prompt release of all hostages, with a particular emphasis on children.
"I would like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to President el-Sisi and all our Egyptian counterparts for their invaluable assistance in addressing various complex issues related to the reception and repatriation of Russians who have safely left the conflict zone," Putin remarked.
Risk of conflict escalation
The Russian leader emphasizes the need to attain lasting peace and prevent the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East. "Primarily, the most pressing goal is to establish a genuinely long-term and sustainable ceasefire," highlighted the Russian head of state. He stressed the importance of averting the involvement of other states in the Middle East war, preventing any expansion of the conflict's geographical scope, and preserving the delicate inter-confessional peace, as noted.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS