On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump seemed to dismiss Vladimir Putin’s proposal to mediate the conflict between Israel and Iran, suggesting that the Russian leader should focus on resolving his own conflict in Ukraine first.

“He actually offered to help mediate, and I responded, ‘Do me a favor, mediate your own issues first. Let’s deal with Russia before we address this, alright?'” Trump stated to reporters at the White House. “I told Vladimir, ‘Let’s resolve the situation in Russia first; you can take care of these other matters later.'”

Putin has positioned himself as a potential mediator in the ongoing air conflict in the Middle East. However, experts express skepticism about the viability of his role, given Russia’s close ties with Iran and its ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

During his initial months in office, Trump aimed to facilitate a resolution to the long-standing conflict in Ukraine. However, his diplomatic efforts have stalled, as Putin has refused to accept a ceasefire and has intensified his stringent peace demands.

Reporting by AFP contributed to this article.