p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 15.0px Calibri; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 16.0px 'Times New Roman'; color: #101010; -webkit-text-stroke: #101010} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} span.s2 {font: 16.0px 'Times New Roman'; text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none; color: #347ab7; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #347ab7} Russian President Vladimir Putin pardoned a young Israeli accused of drug charges ahead of his meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today. The release of Naama Issachar, who had been sentenced to 7½ years in prison, ends a bitter controversy that had plagued relations between the two countries.

Why it matters:  Relations between Russia and Israel turned frosty following Israel’s extradition of Russian citizen Alexei Burkov to the United States Nov. 12, 2019, on charges of complicity in cybercrimes. At the time, Moscow expected Burkov to be swapped for Issachar.

Last week, Al-Monitor reported that Putin had received a “smart reception” in Israel, which in theory opened up the opportunity for a renewed round of engagement.

Netanyahu is in yet another election cycle. Touring Washington and Moscow has become a key tool in raising his popularity at home as a sign of Israel’s successful relationship with both powers under the prime minister’s guidance. This time he is meeting with Putin to pick the Russian president’s brain on Russia’s attitudes vis-a-vis US President Donald Trump’s peace plan for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.