MOSCOW -- In their highest-profile foreign visit since Palestinian elections swept them into power in January, leaders of the radical Islamic group Hamas met with top Russian diplomats here Friday but rebuffed Russian attempts to persuade the movement to soften its hostility toward Israel.

Russian President Vladimir Putin set the stage for Hamas' visit during his trip to Madrid on Feb. 9, when he stunned Israel and the U.S. by inviting the militant movement to Moscow for talks. With the invitation, Russia broke ranks from other major players in the Middle East peace process, which regard Hamas as a terrorist organization.

Full Story >>