Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday (March 14) in Moscow.
The Palestinian leader arrived to Moscow's Vnukovo airport a day earlier, where he was greeted by an honour guard.
"I'm pleased to note that relations between Russia and Palestine are developing successfully, also thanks to your efforts," Putin said.
Abbas's visit to Russia is his first since Palestinians won de facto U.N. recognition of statehood last year.
"Your excellency, we are also sincerely glad about the position of the Russian Federation in support of the
Palestinian position in the United Nations, not only during the voting period, but also during work with other members in support of our application," Abbas said.
"We also hope that this year the start of substantive, peaceful talks will be started, although hopes for this may not be very big, but all the same, we are counting on the fact that, in the end, political regulation will be reached on the basis of the principle of founding two governments," Abbas added.
During the meeting, Putin reiterated Russia's supportm for Palestine.
"I want to confirm that, in this case, nothing has changed. We know that the situation in the region remains difficult. We are also hoping that the situation will develop in a positive way and we will do everything that depends on us for it to be this way," Putin said.
Palestinians seek a state in the West Bank and the Hamas-run Gaza Strip with Arab East Jerusalem as its capital - territories Israel captured in the 1967 Arab-Israeli War and which it still controls.
Peace talks have broken down over Palestinian objections to Israel expanding settlements in the occupied land territories. Most of the world considers the settlements illegal.
Russia is a member of the Quartet of Middle East peace mediators, along with the United States, the United Nations and the European Union.
President Vladimir Putin has tried to balance ties with Arabs including the Palestinians, dating back to the Soviet era, with improved relations with Israel during his 13 years in power.
