Moscow, March 2 (Petra) - Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Monday his country's readiness to use all possibilities to achieve stability in the Middle East and called for an immediate halt to combat operations in the region, warning that current events threaten total regional stability.

"Russia is ready to use all possibilities to achieve stability in the Middle East," Putin said during a press conference. "The escalation in the region must be stopped as soon as possible, with a return to the negotiating table to reach a political solution. What is happening threatens to expand the scope of the conflict and destabilize regional security." The Russian president's remarks come amid a sharp increase in military tensions across the region. Putin emphasized that the ongoing situation risks a wider conflagration that could have far-reaching consequences for international security.

The Kremlin had earlier reported that Putin held several telephone conversations with regional leaders to discuss the crisis, during which he reiterated Moscow's position on the necessity of diplomatic engagement over military force.

//Petra// AF