In Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to the Kremlin Monday 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 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: “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.”