Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday told Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas that American President Donald Trump had authorized the Russian leader to speak on his behalf.
According to a Reuters report, Abbas and Putin spoke about the U.S. role in Mideast peace negotiations during a conference in Moscow.
Abbas reportedly told Putin that he could no longer support the U.S. as a mediator because of the government's behavior under the Trump regime. Late last year, Trump announced that the U.S. would recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, a move that angered many Palestinians.
"We state that from now on we refuse to cooperate in any form with the U.S. in its status of a mediator, as we stand against its actions," Abbas said.
Putin revealed during the meeting that he "had just spoken by telephone with U.S. President Donald Trump," Reuters reported.
"Naturally we spoke about the Palestinian-Israeli settlement," Putin said, telling Abbas: "I would like to convey to you his best wishes."
Putin also commented that stability in the region is "far from what we want to see."
