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Putin, Netanyahu struggle to mend ties in Paris

Despite the brief meeting on the margins of the Paris Peace Forum, Vladimir Putin and Benjamin Netanyahu seem to have failed to fully mend bilateral ties damaged over the downed Russian spy plane.
Russia's President Vladimir Putin leaves after a lunch at the Elysee Palace in Paris as part of the commemoration ceremony for Armistice Day, 100 years after the end of the First World War, France, November 11, 2018.  REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer/Pool     TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RC1EC88496F0

The talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Paris turned out to be “successful and significant,” according to Netanyahu. Questions about whether the meeting would even take place were raised until the last moment. At first, Netanyahu even considered canceling the trip to France. However, he ultimately chose to take part in the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I.

This was the first contact between the two leaders after the Syrian air defense system shot down a Russian Il-20 surveillance during an Israeli assault in mid-September. Moscow blamed Israel for the incident, yet, over the past few months the Netanyahu government has continuously tried to prove that relations with Russia were not disrupted.

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