Abu Dhabi- UAE Minister of State Dr. Sultan al-Jaber said during a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow on Friday that the decision to sever relations with Qatar is aimed at stopping its funding of terrorism.

“For 22 years, Qatar has adopted policies that undermined regional and global security, through the direct or indirect finance of terrorism or by supporting media outlets that enable terrorist groups to promote their twisted extremist ideologies,” Jaber said.

Jaber further said that the measures taken by the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Egypt came after exhausting all other attempts to change the course of Qatar’s double standard policy of simultaneously combating and supporting terrorism.

“The decision to sever ties with Qatar was a clear message to its regime, that it is time for Doha to change the course and approach it has followed for many years, to undermine regional security and stability by providing support for extremism and terrorism,” the minister stated.

He added that Qatar broke its pledges and agreements of 2013 to stop funding of terrorism, intervention in regional affairs and shaking the stability.

Lavrov stressed that Russia consistently stands for overcoming existing differences through dialogue with taking into consideration national interests and concerns including joining efforts to fight terrorism.

The meeting also discussed urgent topics related to continuing to develop Russia-UAE cooperation in various aspects – both parties expressed willingness to cement bilateral ties including cooperation in trade, economic, investment, and energy fields.