ISTANBUL

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Monday that Moscow expects all agreements reached at the Sharm el-Sheikh summit on the Gaza Strip to be fulfilled and urged US President Donald Trump and regional leaders to ensure an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian access. 

"It will be necessary to move on to the creation of a Palestinian state," Lavrov said during a meeting with Arab journalists in Moscow, commenting on the implementation of US President Donald Trump's Gaza ceasefire plan for Gaza.

He emphasized that a long-term resolution to the conflict is only possible if UN resolutions on Palestinian statehood are implemented. "We are hearing statements from both Hamas and Tel Aviv that not everything is over yet and that the crisis could recur."

Lavrov added that Trump and regional leaders should prioritize "the agreed-upon withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, the establishment of humanitarian aid, and the restoration of this beautiful place on Earth."

He noted that Moscow will "facilitate in every possible way" the implementation of Trump’s plan and warned against attempts to alter its "fragile formulations."

He said Russia is ready to take part in any format to help resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, but “will not impose itself.”

“If the participants in the Egyptian summit deem it necessary to involve Russia in the process, we will not refuse. But it is not in our tradition to impose our services,” Lavrov said.

He stressed that Israel must recognize the need to seek a balance of interests, rather than pursuing objectives that disregard the concerns of its neighbors. “The unresolved issue of a Palestinian state remains the most significant factor fueling extremism in the Arab world,” he added.

Lavrov reaffirmed Russia’s continued support for the Iranian nuclear deal, saying Moscow has “never wavered” from its position under UN Security Council Resolution 2231 and supplies Iran with equipment “in full compliance with international law.”

He dismissed rumors about the poisoning of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, clarifying that Assad and his family are in Russia “for purely humanitarian reasons” after receiving threats to their lives.

Lavrov also said Syria remains interested in maintaining Russian military bases in the country, though their role may evolve under “new conditions.”

Regarding the upcoming Russian-Arab summit, Lavrov said that it will take place once a mutually convenient date has been agreed upon.

He also said an increasing number of Arab countries are interested in Russia's experience with nuclear technology and its civilian applications.

US President Donald Trump announced earlier Monday that Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip was officially over, after Hamas completed the release of 20 living Israeli hostages under a US-brokered 20-point ceasefire deal.

The agreement also includes the release of 1,968 Palestinian prisoners and was mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and Türkiye.