The Russian leader and Mohammed bin Zazyed Al Nahyan discussed the recent escalation and called for an end to the hostilities
Russian President Vladimir Putin and United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan have held a telephone conversation focusing on the escalating military conflict in the Middle East.
The call comes after the US and Israel launched a military campaign against Iran on Saturday, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top commanders. Tehran has responded by launching hundreds of missiles and drones at American and Israeli targets across the Gulf region.
According to a statement from the UAE’s state news agency WAM on Monday, Putin and Sheikh Mohamed discussed “the blatant Iranian attacks targeting the territory of the UAE and several Arab countries” amid the ongoing confrontation, as well as the impact of the recent military developments on international peace and stability.
The two leaders “called for an immediate halt to the military escalation to avoid any widening of the conflict, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing dialogue and diplomacy in addressing issues,” WAM reported.
The US-Israeli campaign, dubbed Operation Epic Fury by Washington, has entered its third day with President Donald Trump vowing to sustain the assault for weeks if necessary or “until all of our objectives are achieved.”
Moscow has maintained close contact with regional actors since the strikes began. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Russia is in constant communication with the leadership of Iran and other states affected by the conflict.
Russia has condemned the US-Israeli strikes, describing them as a “premeditated and unprovoked act of aggression” aimed at toppling a government that “refused to yield to the dictates of force and hegemonic pressure.”
President Putin earlier called Khamenei’s killing a “cynical violation of all norms of human morality and international law.”
