Russian President Vladimir Putin warned at a BRICS summit on Thursday that the Middle East is on the brink of full-scale war. Speaking in Kazan, Putin pointed out that military actions in Gaza, which began a year ago, have now spread to Lebanon and are affecting other nations in the region.
“The level of confrontation between Israel and Iran has sharply risen,” Putin said. He likened the escalating conflict to a “chain reaction,” suggesting that the entire Middle East is nearing full-blown war.
Putin, addressing Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, also stressed that lasting peace would only be achieved through the creation of an independent Palestinian state. He emphasized the necessity of the two-state solution, as approved by the UN Security Council and General Assembly, to address the “historical injustice towards the Palestinian people.”
According to Putin, without resolving this issue, the cycle of violence will continue indefinitely.