MOSCOW – Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday he had spoken toUS President Donald Trump by telephone and discussed efforts to bridgedifferences between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, Russian newsagencies reported.
Putin was reported to have made the comments at the start of a meeting inMoscow with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.
He was also cited as saying that the situation in the region was a long wayfrom the one Moscow wanted to see.
The same news agencies quoted Abbas as saying that the Palestinians couldnot accept the United States as the sole mediator in talks with Israelbecause of Washington’s behavior. – Agencies