Russian President Vladimir Putin. TASS/Yonhap News.

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on the 9th (local time) that he hopes U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to end the war in the Gaza Strip will be realized.

According to TASS and RIA Novosti, President Putin said at the Russia-Central Asia summit held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, "We sincerely hope that the U.S. President's initiative will be implemented in practice."

He added, "Russia has always operated on the premise that problems in the Middle East can only be resolved through political and diplomatic means," and noted that the country is "prepared to support all efforts to stop the bloodshed in Gaza and bring peace to the region."

He added that Russia supported President Trump's Gaza peace proposal almost immediately after it was announced on the 29th of last month. He also explained that the Arab and Islamic world had also received President Trump's plan positively from the beginning.

President Putin emphasized that Russia is monitoring the situation and striving to contribute to its resolution, stating, "We believe that the establishment of an independent Palestinian state is the key prerequisite for long-term stability and for resolving all issues surrounding this difficult problem."

He mentioned that he remains in contact with Israel and has received signals that Israel is not interested in a confrontation with Iran and desires a peaceful resolution. He also revealed that he recently discussed the status of Iran's nuclear program in detail with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi.

Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. TASS/Yonhap News.

Previously, the Kremlin expressed its welcome regarding the agreement between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas on a first-phase ceasefire to end the war in the Gaza Strip.

Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said at a briefing that day, "We certainly support these efforts. We are generally satisfied with the fact that a ceasefire is already taking place in Gaza. All such efforts are welcome."

Spokesperson Peskov added, "We hope that the signing will take place today and that it will be followed by actions to implement the agreement reached."

However, regarding the situation between Russia and Ukraine, Peskov assessed that "dialogue as a follow-up to the Istanbul negotiations is at a serious standstill."

He claimed that the Ukrainian leadership, influenced by Europe, has no interest in the peace process, stating, "They are expecting changes on the front lines and a positive turn in the situation, but the reality is otherwise."

When asked about the possibility of holding a new U.S.-Russia summit, he replied that it is "not on the agenda at the moment." The two leaders held a summit on August 15 in Alaska to discuss resolving the Ukrainian issue, but there has been no progress since then.

Regarding President Putin's proposal to the U.S. last month to extend the New START (New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) for one year, Spokesperson Peskov stated, "There has been no substantive response from the U.S. yet."

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