Israeli prime minister says he wants to discuss with Russian president to develop cooperation in economy, technology, culture and tourism
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett called the latter a friend of Israel before opening talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“I would like to tell you on behalf of our entire country, all our people, that we see in you a very close true friend of the State of Israel”, – Bennett said, addressing the Russian leader.
The Israeli prime minister specified that he intended to discuss “a large number of topics” with the Russian president.
“This is the development of our economic cooperation, scientific cooperation, cultural cooperation. We have great potential, and we can seriously increase our trade turnover”, – he said.
Bennett said the Israeli people cherish the memory of the Red Army’s exploits and honour its contribution to the victory over Nazism. “We remember very well the past, the enormous efforts it took from the Russian people and the Red Army to defeat Nazi Germany in World War II,” he said. Bennett said that Israel was already nearing completion of a “large project to create a new museum to commemorate Jewish soldiers who fought in the Allied armies in World War II”.
“We have a million ambassadors in Israel who speak Russian. They contribute immensely to the development of the State of Israel with their work culture, their mentality and the success they achieve”, – Bennett said of the Jewish state’s Russian-speaking citizens.
The Israeli prime minister added that he planned to discuss with the Russian president “the situation in Syria and the efforts being made to stop Iran’s nuclear military programme”.