Putin says Middle East 'on brink of full-scale war'

Russian President Vladimir Putin told a Brics summit on Thursday that the Middle East was on the verge of full-scale war.

"The military action that started a year ago in Gaza has now spread to Lebanon. Other countries in the region are also affected," Putin told a meeting in Kazan attended by several world leaders.

"The level of confrontation between Israel and Iran has sharply risen. This is all reminiscent of a chain reaction and puts the whole Middle East on the verge of full-scale war," Putin said.

Violence in the Middle East will not end until the creation of an independent Palestinian state, Putin said at the summit, attended by Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.

"The key demand for restoring peace and stability on Palestinian territories is carrying out the two-state formula approved by the UN Security Council and General Assembly," the Russian president said.

He added that this would be "correcting the historical injustice towards the Palestinian people".

"Until this question is resolved, it will not be possible to break the vicious circle of violence."

Reporting by AFP