The Kremlin is aware of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s stance on Israel but does not share it, according to a statement Wednesday by Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.
Erdogan called Israel a terrorist state and said “East Jerusalem should be declared the capital of Palestine” while addressing an emergency summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Istanbul this week.
In response to Erdogan’s statement, Peskov said, “We know what the position of the Turkish president is,” according to the official TASS news agency.
“We are aware of it but it is not in line with our position. Russia’s position on Jerusalem and the Middle Eastern settlement is well known,” he added.
Russian President Vladimir Putin told Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas in a phone call the day before U.S. President Donald Trump announced his recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital that he backs a resumption of talks between Israeli and PA negotiators that would include a discussion on the status of Jerusalem.
Trump had spoken with Abbas earlier that same day to notify him of the decision and to let him know about his plan to move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
