Russian envoy to the UN: Middle East on the verge of full-scale war

According to Vassily Nebenzia, the US is partially to blame for the latest escalation between Israel and Hamas.

Vassily Nebenzia, Russia’s permanent representative to the UN, expressed concern at the recent escalation of hostilities between Israel and Hamas and warned that a major conflict in the Middle East was imminent. The diplomat also demanded a quick truce and denounced the “terrifying” amount of violence recently seen in the area.

After the UN Security Council met behind closed doors on Friday, Nebenzia told the media that the “region is on the verge of a full-fledged war and an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe.” Russia “unequivocally condemns” the slaughter of Israeli and Palestinian civilians, he said. “What happened on Israeli territory on October 7 is unacceptable,” the official emphasised.

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The Russian official claimed that “the US bears a significant share of the blame for the brewing war in the Middle East.” Nebenzia charged that Washington was “irresponsibly and egoistically” impeding the efforts of the UN, US, EU, and Russia quartet of mediators. He asserted that, without addressing the root causes of the conflict, the US has been attempting to dominate the process and impose its own version of peace on Palestine.

The envoy further emphasised that by building more illegal settlements on occupied Palestinian land, Israel has long violated many UN resolutions. Nebenzia continued by stating that although Israel “has every right to defend its citizens,” Russia regards Israel’s most recent methods as an unacceptable collective punishment of Palestinians.

Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, stated during a news conference that followed the conclusion of his two-day trip to Kyrgyzstan on Friday that “Israel, of course, faced an unprecedented attack, which has never happened in history, and not only in scale, but also in nature of its execution, in cruelty.”

The head of state of Russia claims that discussions and the establishment of an independent Palestine are the only ways to settle the long-running war.

Putin stated that Russia is prepared to serve as a mediator if the belligerents agree to it, given its close links to both Israel and Arab countries.