The two leaders discussed the situation in Syria and the recent escalation between West Jerusalem and Tehran
Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday in a phone call focused on developments in the Middle East, according to the Kremlin. The two leaders discussed the situation in Syria and the recent escalation between Israel and Iran.
Moscow reaffirmed its commitment to a peaceful resolution of regional conflicts, the Kremlin said in a statement. Putin emphasized the importance of preserving Syria’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity. He also offered Russia’s assistance in establishing dialogue between Israel and Iran following the recent conflict between the two nations.
Moscow is ready “to contribute in every possible way to finding a negotiated solution” to the tensions around the Iranian nuclear program. Putin and Netanyahu also agreed to continue the dialogue on pressing bilateral and international issues, the Kremlin added.
After Bashar Assad’s government fell late last year, Israel expanded its presence in Syria beyond the Golan Heights, citing the need to prevent hostile actors from gaining a foothold near its borders.
Earlier this month, the Israel Defense Forces also launched multiple airstrikes on the Syrian Defense Ministry in Damascus, claiming the strikes were in defense of the Druze minority in southern Syria.
Netanyahu and Syria’s interim leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa, a former commander of Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham militia, then agreed to a US-mediated ceasefire.
In June, Israel carried out US-supported air strikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites, triggering a retaliation from Tehran. The two countries exchanged strikes for 12 days.
Russia was among the few nations to contact both Israel and Iran immediately after first strikes were launched in a bid to defuse tensions. It also proposed several compromise frameworks to all parties, according to Putin.
