U.S. President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza remains the most viable option currently available, even though Washington is not fully on board with creating a Palestinian state next to Israel, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.
In an interview published Wednesday, Lavrov described the U.S. proposal as a “positive step” toward ending the war between Israel and terrorist group Hamas that has stretched into its third year. He pointed in particular to the plan’s 19th point, in which Washington acknowledged that there could eventually be “a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood,” and that the United States recognizes this as “the aspiration of the Palestinian people.”
“U.S. President Donald Trump came up with his ’20 points,’ and in it we see the word ‘statehood.’ But the wording is quite vague. In this context, it mentions only what will remain of the Gaza Strip,” Lavrov said, as reported by Russia’s state news agency TASS. “The West Bank is not mentioned in this context. But we are realistic; we understand that it is the best option currently on the table.”
“At the very least, it is the best from the point of view that it is acceptable for the Arabs and was not rejected by Israel,” he added. “But, most importantly, it should be acceptable for the Palestinians.”
Russia formally recognized Palestine as a sovereign state in 1988, a position that Lavrov said remains unchanged.
In September, after the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Portugal announced recognition of Palestine—a move that provoked a furious response from Israel—Moscow reaffirmed that the two-state solution is, in its view, the only possible way to achieve a lasting peace.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the recognitions by Western nations that traditionally have been close allies of Israel.
“A Palestinian state will not be established west of the Jordan River,” Netanyahu said in a video message. “For years, I have prevented the establishment of this terrorist state facing tremendous pressures at home and abroad.
“I have a clear message to those leaders who recognize a Palestinian state after the horrific massacre of Oct. 7: You are giving a huge reward to terrorism,” he said, referring to the 2023 terrorist attack on southern Israel in which Hamas killed about 1,200 people and kidnapped 251 others.
Israel launched a military operation into Gaza in response.
Netanyahu praised the U.S. plan, saying it “achieves our war aims,” and expressed hope that all hostages could be released soon. The Israeli leader, who has consistently rejected the idea of a Palestinian state in any postwar scenario, did not comment on Trump’s 19th point or its implications.
The U.S. president’s proposal calls for an immediate cease-fire, a surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza, large-scale reconstruction, and the release of all hostages—both living and deceased. In return, Israel would free 250 prisoners serving life sentences and 1,700 Gazans detained after the October 2023 attack.
The plan also bars Israel from occupying or annexing Gaza, and sets conditions for deradicalizing the territory under international oversight.
Hamas has said it accepts parts of the peace plan and is preparing to release hostages. It said on Wednesday that it has handed over its lists of hostages and Palestinian prisoners to be freed in a swap with Israel.
Trump announced on Oct. 8 that a deal between Israel and Hamas has been reached for the release of hostages, marking a breakthrough toward ending the two-year war in Gaza.
Trump said Hamas has agreed to the initial phase of his 20-point Gaza peace plan. The hostage exchange is expected to occur within the 48 hours following his announcement on Wednesday evening. Negotiations on the other parts of the peace deal are ongoing.
The U.S. president said he will travel to Egypt this weekend to finalize the deal.
Emel Akan contributed to this report.
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