Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted separate bilateral meetings on Saturday with leaders from the Palestinian Authority, Zimbabwe, and Burkina Faso, as part of events commemorating the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany’s defeat in World War II.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, and Burkina Faso’s President Ibrahim Traoré all travelled to Moscow for the occasion, underlining their nations’ ties with Russia.
During his meeting with President Abbas, Putin expressed a desire to “exchange views on what additional role Russia can play in helping to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East.”
The diplomatic engagements came as European leaders increased pressure on the Kremlin regarding the war in Ukraine. In a joint statement earlier on Saturday, the leaders of France, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Poland warned that further action could be taken against Russia if Putin refused to accept an unconditional 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine.
The ceasefire proposal, which they called to begin on Monday, was reportedly supported by U.S. President Donald Trump, who had been briefed by the European leaders in a conference call earlier in the day.