Israel’s new prime minister spoke for the first time with Russian president Vladimir Putin and the two have agreed to meet soon, premier Naftali Bennett’s office tweeted. I spoke this morning with Russian President Vladimir Putin @KremlinRussia_E . We discussed a number of security and diplomatic related issues. Mr Bennett said he thanked Mr Putin for Russia’s “assistance on the issue of the captives and the missing”. It was the first time the two had spoken since Mr Bennett took office last month at the head of Israel’s new coalition government. After two years, Mr Bennett is to step aside while foreign minister Yair Lapid rotates into the premiership.

Source: Irish Independent July 05, 2021 12:22 UTC