Israel-Hamas war is failure of US Middle East policy: Putin takes both sides

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday said the sharp escalation of the Israel-Palestinian conflict was a vivid example of the United States’ policy failure in the Middle East.

Putin told the visiting Iraqi prime minister that Washington had tried to monopolise the search for a settlement in the region.

The Kremlin earlier said it was in touch with both sides and would seek to play a role in resolving the conflict between them.

The outbreak of bloodshed, violence and outright war between Israel and Hamas has put Russia in an awkward position, with Moscow traditionally treading a fine diplomatic line between Israel and its allies in the Middle East.

Russia’s position on the current conflict in Israel is likely to be nuanced and a challenge for Moscow to navigate given its conflicting ties in the region, analysts say.