Moscow, Feb 14 (RHC)-- Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to the Kremlin for talks that could reshape diplomatic efforts to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 

Speaking to reporters, Abbas said he could no longer accept the United States as a mediator, after the Donald Trump administration declared it would recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and began moving the U.S. Embassy there from Tel Aviv. 

President Mahmoud Abbas said: “In such an atmosphere, which was created by U.S. actions, we state that from now on we refuse to cooperate in any form with the U.S. in its status of a mediator, as we stand against its actions.”