The agencies said Putin made the comments at a meeting with Russia’s chief rabbi, Berl Lazar, and the head of the Federation of Jewish Communities, Alexander Boroda. Putin said Russia had made use of its contacts with the political wing of Hamas.
“You know, since the situation became more tense in the Middle East, Russia has been doing everything to help people who became hostages,” Putin was quoted as saying.
“As is known, our Foreign Ministry worked through the political wing of Hamas and, on the whole, there have been specific results.”
Putin did not elaborate, according to the reported comments.
Moscow’s efforts, though directed at helping Russian nationals, also sought to help others, the president said.
“They include elderly people and their family members who survived the Holocaust,” he was quoted as saying.
“But I know, I understand, that it is vital to carry on with these efforts. And that is what we are doing.”
Moscow also has said the violence in the Middle East is a reflection of U.S. policy failures in the region.
Putin’s reference to Holocaust survivors comes a day after Russia’s foreign ministry told the Israeli ambassador, Simona Halperin, of its “negative reaction” to her criticisms of Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Russian policy.
Authorities criticised her “unacceptable comments” in an interview with Russian newspaper Kommersant in which she said Lavrov had played down the importance of the Holocaust and that Russia was too friendly with Hamas.
Reporting by Ron Popeski Editing by Bill Berkrot
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Hillary Clinton reacted to conservative commentator Tucker Carlson’s recent announcement that he had secured an interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling the former Fox News pundit a “useful idiot”
In an interview with MSNBC’s Alex Wagner, the former first lady appeared unsurprised by the news and highlighted comments made previously by Carlson about the ongoing war in Ukraine.
“He says things that are not true. He parrots Vladimir Putin’s pack of lies about Ukraine, so I don’t see why Putin wouldn’t give him an interview,” she said.
Carlson has publicly voiced his opposition to U.S. support for Ukraine, arguing that American cities have suffered as a result of Congress and the White House providing billions of dollars in aid to the country.
During a video announcement posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, Carlson accused Western media of not “bothering” to try and interview Putin and urged people to watch the interview, saying that while they may not agree with what the Russian president says, as “free citizens,” it is important to “know as much as they can” and draw their own conclusions.
Clinton, meanwhile, suggested that Carlson is a figure of ridicule within Russian media, going so far as to say that a position at a Russian outlet may be on the table for him.
“If you actually read translations of what is being said on Russian media, they make fun of him …he’s like a puppy dog”, Clinton said.
“I would not be surprised if he emerges with a contract with a Russian outlet, because he is a useful idiot.”
While Carlson has yet to confirm the details of when the interview will be published, this will be the first time a member of the Western media has been granted an interview by the Russian president since his invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Tags Clinton Hillary Clinton Tucker Carlson Vladimir Putin
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