Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone conversation on Wednesday and raised regional security issues.
The two discussed “Iranian aggression and the situation in Syria,” according to a Prime Minister’s Office statement. They also talked about cooperating in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
Putin celebrated his 68th birthday on Wednesday and Netanyahu wished him well. A statement from the Kremlin said Putin “touched upon the development of bilateral relations as well as topical regional problems” with 10 world leaders who also called him to convey their felicitations.
Netanyahu and Putin keep in touch often by phone in light of Israel’s policy to prevent Iran from establishing a foothold close to the northern border and to deny the transfer of weapons to Hezbollah. Israeli moves to stop these actions are coordinated with Russia, which has a large military presence in Syria.