Palestinian leader hails Trump’s Mideast peace efforts

MOSCOW – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump’s efforts to negotiate a Middle East settlement.

Speaking Thursday after talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Russia’s Black Sea city of Sochi, Abbas said the Palestinians were ready to co-operate with Trump’s efforts to broker a peace deal.

Abbas, who met Trump in Washington last week, has expressed willingness to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu under the auspices of the American president. It’s not clear if such a meeting is in the works for Trump’s visit to the Holy Land later this month.

American-brokered peace talks between the two sides failed amid mutual recriminations in April 2014.

Putin also said Thursday Russia will continue efforts to help restore direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians.