Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett left a cabinet meeting on Monday evening in order to hold back-to-back phone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The call with Putin lasted for roughly an hour and a half, during which the two men discussed efforts to reach a ceasefire in Ukraine, as well as efforts to allow access to Israeli humanitarian aid, a diplomatic official told reporters.
The official said Putin complained to Bennett about the “barbaric” acts of Ukrainian soldiers in the separatist-held Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, where Russia claims 20 civilians were killed. Those reports remain unconfirmed.
A statement from the Kremlin carried by Russian news agencies said Putin shared with Bennett his “assessments” on the negotiation process with Ukraine.
Bennett last spoke with Putin on March 6, a day after the two met in Moscow.
Bennett’s trip was seen as an effort to further develop Bennett’s potential role as a mediator between the sides, as Israel has good relations with both Kyiv and Moscow.
Bennett has also spoken with Zelensky multiple times since Moscow’s troops invaded Ukraine, though the two men have not met in person.
In a tweet Monday, Zelensky said, “We exchanged information on our joint steps and steps of our partners against the background of Russian aggression. Agreed on further actions.”
During Monday’s cabinet meeting, Bennett said Israel was managing its response to Russia’s war on Ukraine with “sensitivity and responsibility,” pushing back against criticism over the fact that Jerusalem has failed to take stronger action against Moscow over the invasion of its neighbor.
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