(JNS) Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas met with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week, in an attempt to sideline the United States and strengthen Russia’s role as a power broker in negotiating an outcome to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Abbas told Putin during their meeting in Moscow that, “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.” The Palestinian Authority has refused contact with officials from the United States since President Donald Trump officially recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in December.

Abbas has been attempting to increase the number of countries involved in solving the conflict, while Israel has been leaning towards the United States. In January, Putin stated that he was “deeply concerned” by the U.S. administration’s decision to recognize Jerusalem, expressing its belief that it would “block possible paths to peace in the Middle East.”