WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Despite evidence that the conflict between Israel and Iran is escalating, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed optimism on Sunday that peace would come soon and cited the possibility that Russia's Vladimir Putin could help.

Russia’s diplomatic balancing act between Israel and Iran has been tested by recent tensions. As Israel’s strikes on Iranian targets escalate hostilities, Russia could emerge as a key mediator in the conflict,

As an unprecedented Israeli attack on Iran last week sparks a spiraling conflict between the two enemy states, China has seen an opportunity to cast itself as potential peace broker – and an alternative voice to the United States.

Now, with Israel and Iran verging on all-out war the European governments and Israel are — with minor tonal differences — on the same page. The leaders of all three European countries have said Israel’s right to self-defense and preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon are paramount.

For Israel, the objective was to degrade Iran’s nuclear capabilities and demonstrate unequivocally that any threat to its existence will be met with overwhelming force. For Iran, retaliation served not only as a defense of national pride but also a signal to regional allies and adversaries alike that it remains capable of responding to aggression.

Russia is pushing itself as a candidate to hold Iran's enriched uranium in hypothetical peace arrangements with Israel.

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President Donald Trump signaled Monday that the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran was intensifying rapidly, announcing he would return to Washington a day early from the Group of 7 summit in Canada to monitor developments after issuing an ominous warning to Iranians to “immediately evacuate” their capital city.