Jerusalem: IsraelThe Prime Minister of Russia stepped into the role of mediator as Russia invades on Saturday Ukraine Sharp with three-hour meeting in the Kremlin Vladimir Putin Before calling the President of Ukraine and going to Berlin.
Prime Minister Naftali BennettIt was the first meeting of a foreign leader with Putin since the day Russian forces invaded Ukraine last week, and came after Kiev asked Israel to begin talks with Moscow.
Bennett has so far taken a cautious stance on the Ukraine conflict, seeking to maintain delicate security cooperation with Russia, which has a large military presence in Israel’s northern neighbor, Syria.
Bennett has not joined Western leaders – particularly key ally the United States – in forcefully condemning the invasion, instead emphasizing Israel’s strong ties with both Russia and Ukraine.
After his meeting with Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the two agreed that they aimed to “end the war in Ukraine as quickly as possible”, a German spokesman said in a statement early Sunday.
At the end of a whirlwind diplomatic tour, Bennett spoke twice with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and once with French President Emmanuel Macron, the prime minister’s office said in a statement.
Before the trip, Bennett spoke repeatedly on the telephone with both Putin and Zelensky – who are Jewish, have family in Israel and have visited the country several times.
Michael Oren, Israel’s former ambassador to Washington, told AFP: “Bennett’s action is bold, but also risky. Much will depend on Putin’s mood.”
Oren noted that while Putin had denied the heavy diplomatic outreach prior to the invasion, “Russia is in a different position today and Putin is looking for a way out of his position. Naftali Bennett Could just supply the ladder.”
Bennett’s office said he left Israel for Moscow early Saturday, an extraordinary move for a religious Jew who, except in exceptional circumstances, does not conduct state business on the Jewish Sabbath.
An Israeli official said Bennett and Putin met for three hours, which was coordinated with the US, Germany and France.
Bennett’s delegation included Housing Minister Zeev Elkin, a fluent Russian speaker who was born in Ukraine when it was part of the Soviet Union.
The Kremlin said the meeting discussed “various aspects of the situation in Ukraine”.
David Horowitz, the Times of Israel’s top editor, said Bennett’s visit had “extraordinarily high stakes”.
Horowitz said, “The prime minister’s emphasis on attempting the nearly impossible – trying to maintain a warm, not neutral, relationship with both sides in the war – is threatening to upset the US and involve deeply damaging Israel’s position.” has the capacity.” Saturday.
Citing an unnamed source, prominent Israeli reporter Barack Ravid tweeted that the White House told Israel it suspected “the possibility of Bennett influencing Putin’s position”.
The Israeli official said the Bennett-Putin talks “also touched on the progress of the (Iran) nuclear talks in Vienna.”
Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency said after talks in Tehran on Saturday that they agreed on an approach to resolve key issues in the country’s efforts to revive the 2015 nuclear deal.
Bennett is a staunch opponent of global efforts to revive a deal that gave Iran sanctions relief in exchange for sanctions on its nuclear program.
The premier has argued that Tehran would use revenue growth from lifting sanctions to buy weapons that could harm Israel, while still pursuing nuclear weapons capability, an ambition Iran denies.
Russia, which has been slapped with Western sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine, said on Saturday it would seek guarantees from Washington before backing any revived deal, complicating efforts for a quick deal.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia had requested that the US give it a written guarantee that sanctions relating to Ukraine “in no way harm our rights to free, full trade and economic and investment cooperation, military-technical cooperation with Iran”. Won’t deliver”.
There was no immediate comment on any connection between the new Russian situation and Bennett’s visit.
Prime Minister Naftali BennettIt was the first meeting of a foreign leader with Putin since the day Russian forces invaded Ukraine last week, and came after Kiev asked Israel to begin talks with Moscow.
Bennett has so far taken a cautious stance on the Ukraine conflict, seeking to maintain delicate security cooperation with Russia, which has a large military presence in Israel’s northern neighbor, Syria.
Bennett has not joined Western leaders – particularly key ally the United States – in forcefully condemning the invasion, instead emphasizing Israel’s strong ties with both Russia and Ukraine.
After his meeting with Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the two agreed that they aimed to “end the war in Ukraine as quickly as possible”, a German spokesman said in a statement early Sunday.
At the end of a whirlwind diplomatic tour, Bennett spoke twice with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and once with French President Emmanuel Macron, the prime minister’s office said in a statement.
Before the trip, Bennett spoke repeatedly on the telephone with both Putin and Zelensky – who are Jewish, have family in Israel and have visited the country several times.
Michael Oren, Israel’s former ambassador to Washington, told AFP: “Bennett’s action is bold, but also risky. Much will depend on Putin’s mood.”
Oren noted that while Putin had denied the heavy diplomatic outreach prior to the invasion, “Russia is in a different position today and Putin is looking for a way out of his position. Naftali Bennett Could just supply the ladder.”
Bennett’s office said he left Israel for Moscow early Saturday, an extraordinary move for a religious Jew who, except in exceptional circumstances, does not conduct state business on the Jewish Sabbath.
An Israeli official said Bennett and Putin met for three hours, which was coordinated with the US, Germany and France.
Bennett’s delegation included Housing Minister Zeev Elkin, a fluent Russian speaker who was born in Ukraine when it was part of the Soviet Union.
The Kremlin said the meeting discussed “various aspects of the situation in Ukraine”.
David Horowitz, the Times of Israel’s top editor, said Bennett’s visit had “extraordinarily high stakes”.
Horowitz said, “The prime minister’s emphasis on attempting the nearly impossible – trying to maintain a warm, not neutral, relationship with both sides in the war – is threatening to upset the US and involve deeply damaging Israel’s position.” has the capacity.” Saturday.
Citing an unnamed source, prominent Israeli reporter Barack Ravid tweeted that the White House told Israel it suspected “the possibility of Bennett influencing Putin’s position”.
The Israeli official said the Bennett-Putin talks “also touched on the progress of the (Iran) nuclear talks in Vienna.”
Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency said after talks in Tehran on Saturday that they agreed on an approach to resolve key issues in the country’s efforts to revive the 2015 nuclear deal.
Bennett is a staunch opponent of global efforts to revive a deal that gave Iran sanctions relief in exchange for sanctions on its nuclear program.
The premier has argued that Tehran would use revenue growth from lifting sanctions to buy weapons that could harm Israel, while still pursuing nuclear weapons capability, an ambition Iran denies.
Russia, which has been slapped with Western sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine, said on Saturday it would seek guarantees from Washington before backing any revived deal, complicating efforts for a quick deal.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia had requested that the US give it a written guarantee that sanctions relating to Ukraine “in no way harm our rights to free, full trade and economic and investment cooperation, military-technical cooperation with Iran”. Won’t deliver”.
There was no immediate comment on any connection between the new Russian situation and Bennett’s visit.