Putin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, said the Kremlin was in touch with both warring sides and would seek to play a role in resolving the conflict, but did not specify how.
Putin took the opportunity, during talks with visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, to blame the sharp escalation on years of U.S. policy in the region.
Putin said Washington had sought to “monopolise” efforts at forging peace, and accused it of failing to seek workable compromises.
A Kremlin statement said Putin and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan deplored the “catastrophic rise in the deaths among civilians”.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called for a rapid cease fire in a conversation with his Iranian opposite number, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.
“But nevertheless we intend to keep making efforts and play our role in terms of providing assistance to seek ways to a settlement,” he said.
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