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Vladimir Putin and Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the Iranian nuclear programme, Gaza war, highlighting Russia’s balanced ties with Israel, Palestine, and Hamas.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu. (Reuters)
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a telephonic conversation wherein they discussed the Iranian nuclear programme and other Middle East issues, including US President Donald Trump’s plan to end the Gaza war.
Both leaders discussed Trump’s 20-point proposal to end the war in Gaza with Putin reiterating Moscow’s position “in favour of a comprehensive settlement of the Palestinian issue.”
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According to a report by The Times of Israel, Putin and Netanyahu also expressed interest in finding negotiated solutions to the situation around the Iranian nuclear programme and in further stabilisation in Syria.
The last telephonic conversation between the two leaders was in August.
Russia maintains ties with Israel, the Palestinian authorities, and Hamas, which Moscow does not label a terrorist organization. Putin has consistently advocated for the creation of a Palestinian state as a long-term solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Days after the 2023 attack, Russia refused to endorse a US-sponsored UN Security Council resolution condemning the attack. While Russia supported the idea that terrorists have to be punished, it opposed the bombing of Gaza for an Islamist group.
In April this year, Putin met Russian-Israeli national Alexander Troufanov, who spent 498 days in Hamas captivity before being released as part of the ceasefire deal. The Russian President lauded Moscow’s longstanding ties with Palestinian groups and thanked Hamas for Troufanov’s release.
Last year, Moscow also hosted a conference with representatives from Hamas, Fatah and Islamic Jihad, aimed at bridging divides between them. Putin has publicly criticised Israel’s onslaught in Gaza and called it a “failure of US policy”.
Russia also shares a long history with Israel. After deep-rooted tensions between the two countries during the Cold War, Russia has tried to balance its relationship with Israel with support for Palestine, and a major factor in this is the Jewish population in Russia.
Putin and Netanyahu have generally enjoyed friendly ties, and they were even spotted watching ballet together. Israel has also refrained from sanctioning Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
Russia
October 07, 2025, 01:53 IST
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