Failed US Policy Fuels Palestinian-Israeli Conflict: Putin

On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the unprecedented escalation of the conflict between Palestine and Israel is a "large-scale tragedy," and a "direct consequence" of failed U.S. policy in the Middle East.

"The Americans, with the support of their European satellites, tried to monopolize the Middle East settlement, and they were not concerned with finding compromises that would be acceptable to both sides," Putin said at a meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Commonwealth of Independent States in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan.

He noted that the United States blocked the international quartet of Middle East mediators, and attempted to resolve the conflict through economic measures, thereby ignoring an underlying issue, namely "the creation of an independent Palestinian state."

"The main thing right now is to stop the bloodshed," Putin said, adding that collective efforts were urgently needed to achieve an early ceasefire and stabilize the situation.

"Russia is ready to coordinate efforts with all constructively minded partners," Putin said, adding that "there was no alternative to resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict through negotiations."

"The goal of the negotiations should be the implementation of the United Nations 'Two-State' formula, which envisages the creation of an independent Palestinian state with its capital in East Jerusalem, coexisting in peace and security with Israel," he said.

Putin noted that Moscow would be willing to act as a mediator, especially as Russia has developed good relations with both sides.