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Russian President Vladimir Putin has pledged to “do everything” within Russia’s power to help end the Middle East conflict after holding talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Thursday.
According to Russian news agencies, Putin made the pledge before the regional summit in Turkmenistan.
“We are ready to do everything that is in our power to contribute to the settlement of this situation,” Putin said.
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He also said Iran had made “real efforts to end the war” since US and Israeli attacks began on February 28. Putin described relations between Russia and Iran as improving. The two countries have strengthened their diplomatic and military ties since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Both leaders arrived in Turkmenistan on Thursday before the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) summit in Avaza, a resort on the Caspian Sea. The CIS is a grouping of former Soviet nations. Putin and Pezeshkian last met during a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Kyrgyzstan in September.
Meanwhile, Ukraine and Western countries have accused Iran of supplying Russia with Shahed drones and short-range missiles for use in the war against Ukraine. Russia has also been accused of providing targeting data to Iran for attacks on US interests in the Middle East.
The meeting comes following stalled negotiations between Tehran and Washington. Pezeshkian said earlier this week that talks with the United States were “meaningless.”
