Russia’s FM visiting Gulf Arab states over Qatar crisis

KUWAIT CITY – Russia’s foreign minister is in Kuwait at the start of a three-nation tour of Gulf Arab states over the ongoing Qatar diplomatic crisis.

Sergey Lavrov’s visit to Kuwait City on Monday marks the first high-level diplomatic visit by Russia over the crisis, which began on June 5. Lavrov also will visit Qatar and the United Arab Emirates on his trip.

Kuwait’s ruler has tried to mediate an end to a boycott by four Arab nations against Qatar, as have the United States, France and other world powers.

Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates began their boycott over allegations that Qatar funds extremist groups and has too warm of ties with Iran.

Qatar has long denied funding extremists and just recently sent its ambassador back to Tehran.