Putin converses with Qatari emir about Gaza and Syria crises
Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Moscow on Thursday for discussions regarding regional security issues in the Middle East, with a particular emphasis on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict...
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Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Moscow on Thursday for discussions regarding regional security issues in the Middle East, with a particular emphasis on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and ongoing developments in Syria.
This meeting marked Al Thani’s first official visit to Russia since 2018.
Both leaders voiced their serious concerns regarding the civilian suffering in Gaza. Al Thani noted that Israel had not fulfilled its obligations under the internationally brokered ceasefire agreement reached with Palestinian authorities in January, a deal in which Qatar served as a key mediator.
“As you know, we reached an agreement months ago, but unfortunately, Israel did not abide by this agreement,” Al Thani stated, emphasizing that Doha is continuing its efforts to secure a lasting ceasefire in the region.
Putin and Al Thani reiterated their backing for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“Civilians continue to die in Palestine, which is an absolute tragedy,” Putin said. “We believe – and our positions here are the same – that a long-term settlement can be achieved only and exclusively on the basis of the United Nations decision on the creation of the Palestinian state.”
The leaders also addressed the situation in Syria, following the removal of longtime President Bashar Assad by a coalition of armed groups led by the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham late last year. Assad, who was a close ally of Moscow, was succeeded by HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa.
“We would like to do everything to ensure that Syria remains a sovereign, independent and geographically integrated state,” Putin remarked. He added that Moscow is prepared to collaborate with Doha to tackle the humanitarian crisis and stabilize Syria, acknowledging the ongoing challenges in the political, security, and economic realms.
Al Thani mentioned that he had recently met with Syria’s new leader, who expressed a desire to maintain strong ties with Russia.
“We discussed with [al-Sharaa] the historical ties between Syria and Russia, which were and are of a strategic nature. He is determined to continue cooperation [with Russia], to secure ties based on mutual respect and the interests of the two peoples,” Al Thani stated, noting that Syria is currently “going through a very difficult period” and requires international support to uphold its territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Both leaders expressed satisfaction with the state of Russia-Qatar relations and confirmed their intent to enhance cooperation in areas such as trade, investment, and regional diplomacy.
Navid Kalantari for TROIB News
This meeting marked Al Thani’s first official visit to Russia since 2018.
Both leaders voiced their serious concerns regarding the civilian suffering in Gaza. Al Thani noted that Israel had not fulfilled its obligations under the internationally brokered ceasefire agreement reached with Palestinian authorities in January, a deal in which Qatar served as a key mediator.
“As you know, we reached an agreement months ago, but unfortunately, Israel did not abide by this agreement,” Al Thani stated, emphasizing that Doha is continuing its efforts to secure a lasting ceasefire in the region.
Putin and Al Thani reiterated their backing for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“Civilians continue to die in Palestine, which is an absolute tragedy,” Putin said. “We believe – and our positions here are the same – that a long-term settlement can be achieved only and exclusively on the basis of the United Nations decision on the creation of the Palestinian state.”
The leaders also addressed the situation in Syria, following the removal of longtime President Bashar Assad by a coalition of armed groups led by the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham late last year. Assad, who was a close ally of Moscow, was succeeded by HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa.
“We would like to do everything to ensure that Syria remains a sovereign, independent and geographically integrated state,” Putin remarked. He added that Moscow is prepared to collaborate with Doha to tackle the humanitarian crisis and stabilize Syria, acknowledging the ongoing challenges in the political, security, and economic realms.
Al Thani mentioned that he had recently met with Syria’s new leader, who expressed a desire to maintain strong ties with Russia.
“We discussed with [al-Sharaa] the historical ties between Syria and Russia, which were and are of a strategic nature. He is determined to continue cooperation [with Russia], to secure ties based on mutual respect and the interests of the two peoples,” Al Thani stated, noting that Syria is currently “going through a very difficult period” and requires international support to uphold its territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Both leaders expressed satisfaction with the state of Russia-Qatar relations and confirmed their intent to enhance cooperation in areas such as trade, investment, and regional diplomacy.
Navid Kalantari for TROIB News
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