MOSCOW. Dec 12 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to the Middle East was not an attempt to "fill the vacuum" created by the United States' policy in this region, the Kremlin said.
"Here it is not about attempts to fill any vacuum. There can be no vacuum. Russia has long been present in this region and has naturally pursued its pragmatic interests," presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said in response to a question from reporters on Tuesday.
Moscow "is guided by mutually advantageous cooperation and mutual trust," he said.
"It is a matter of the Russian side's focused and continuous work in line with the policy which was fairly long ago and consistently defined by Russian President Vladimir Putin, aimed at rebuilding and saving the Syrian Arab Republic, supporting its legitimate government, and seeking a political settlement in the country," Peskov said when asked whether Putin's recent visit to Syria, Turkey, and Egypt was an attempt to gain a foothold in the Middle East.
Additionally, Russia's policy is aimed at "developing bilateral relations with Turkey, Egypt, and Syria in multiple formats," he said.