Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday to discuss the situation in the Middle East, the Kremlin has said. The two leaders focused on developments in Syria and the recent escalation between Israel and Iran.
In a statement, the Kremlin said Moscow reaffirmed its commitment to a peaceful resolution of regional conflicts. Putin stressed the need to preserve Syria’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He also offered Russia’s assistance in facilitating 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 tensions surrounding Iran’s nuclear programme, the Kremlin said. Putin and Netanyahu agreed to continue discussions on pressing bilateral and international matters.
Following the fall of Bashar Assad’s government late last year, Israel expanded its presence in Syria beyond the Golan Heights, citing security concerns over hostile actors near its borders.
Earlier this month, the Israel Defense Forces launched several airstrikes on Syria’s Defence Ministry in Damascus, claiming the strikes were to protect the Druze minority in southern Syria.
Netanyahu and Syria’s interim leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, a former commander of the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham militia, subsequently agreed to a US-mediated ceasefire.
In June, Israel carried out US-supported airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites, which prompted retaliation from Tehran. The two countries exchanged strikes for 12 days.
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