Bennett makes efforts to establish friendly relationship with Putin

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett spoke Jan. 13 on the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin. A short statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office said the leaders discussed security issues and agreed on “continued close cooperation in this area.” The words ‘close cooperation in the area’ likely refer to alleged Israeli air force activity in Syria, where Russia maintains a military presence. Over the past few years, Israel and Syria have established communication channels to coordinate on security issues related to Syrian air space.

Naturally, the statement also addressed the Iranian issue. It said, “Against the backdrop of the nuclear talks in Vienna, the prime minister stressed the importance of a strong and determined stance against Iran’s progress in the nuclear project.”