VLADIVOSTOK, September 5. /TASS/. The lack of a neutral position of the United States on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a problem for the settlement, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

"Today's problem is connected, among other things, with the US attempts to monopolize the settlement. Because the US is not seen as a country with neutral positions. And this is the problem," he said at a plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).

According to the Russian president, the unresolved two-state solution is at the heart of today's escalation of tensions. "Russia's position is not conjunctural. It has always been based on the decisions that were made earlier and which, in my opinion, should be the basis of the settlement," Putin said. "This is, first of all, the creation of two independent states. By the way, this position is shared by many people in the world, including, strangely enough, many in the United States. But, unfortunately, this issue has not been resolved, and it is the basis of today's escalation of the situation, today's confrontation," he pointed out.

Russia will do everything it can "to contribute to the settlement of this long-standing and very difficult crisis," Putin said. He revealed that he had spoken about this at a meeting in Moscow with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

In addition, the Russian side is trying to resolve issues with the release of hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip and is achieving some results. "As for the humanitarian issue, of course, we are trying to resolve the issues related to the hostages," the Russian leader said. "And we are achieving certain results here, which we are very happy about. And we will try to do it in the future," he said.

About forum

The Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) is underway on the campus of the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok on September 3-6, 2024. The main theme of the EEF in 2024 is "Far East 2030. Combining strengths to create new potential."

The EEF is one of the largest international conferences in Russia. It has been held in the Primorsky Region’s Russky Island in Vladivostok since 2015. The Forum is the initiative of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who decreed that the event be held annually.

The forum's objectives and goals include promoting the accelerated growth of Russia’s Far East region; assessing its potential for exports; expanding international cooperation in the Asia-Pacific Region; showcasing the investment appeal of the region, its steadily progressing territories, and the Vladivostok free port.

The Roscongress Foundation has served as the Forum’s organizer since 2016.

TASS is the general information partner of the EEF.