Russian President Vladimir Putin shaking hands with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas before the meeting — Internet SOCHI, Nov 24 (TASS/AFP): Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday that he deemed it important to exchange opinions on the situation on the Palestinian track and in the Middle East.
"Respected Mr. President, I am very glad to see you," the head of the Russian state said, addressing the Palestinian leader at talks in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.
"We, undoubtedly, must meet regularly and maintain our relations," Putin stressed.
"It is very important to exchange opinions on current and essential issues and on developments in the Middle East as a whole and on the Palestinian track, in particular," the Russian leader said.
The Russian president thanked Abbas for accepting the invitation to visit Russia.
"We understand the situation, in which we are all living, including the Palestinian people today. Apart from the pressure exerted from outside and the tension in the region, with neighbors, the coronavirus infection also plays its role in the situation," Putin said.
The Kremlin said on Wednesday that the upcoming summit on democracy organised by US President Joe Biden aims to "divide countries", after Russia was not included on the guest list.
"The United States prefers to create new dividing lines, to divide countries into those that-in their opinion-are good, and those that are bad," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
"More and more countries prefer to decide themselves how to live, without looking back at anyone," Peskov said.
He added that Washington is "trying to privatise the term 'democracy'."
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