Putin and Netanyahu speak for the first time in over a year

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held their first phone call in more than 18 months on May 6, in what officials from both countries described as a friendly conversation. The exchange has drawn concern from Ukrainian diplomats, who fear a possible warming of ties between Moscow and Jerusalem.

According to Israel’s Maariv newspaper, the two leaders exchanged greetings on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two. Netanyahu also thanked Putin for helping to secure the release of Sasha Tropanov, a kidnapped Israeli citizen who also holds Russian nationality.

Ukrainian officials expressed frustration, viewing the call not as a one-off related to hostage negotiations, but as a sign of renewed diplomatic engagement between Israel and Russia.

Sources close to Ukraine’s ambassador to Israel said Kyiv was warned in advance by senior Israeli officials that further talks and rapprochement between the countries were likely — developments that “would not be positively received in Kyiv.”