The first meeting of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Russian President Vladimir Putin will be of importance that goes far beyond the immediate conclusions that will or will not be reached in it.
Putin will show his guest a polite warmth, but behind him will hide an examining and examining look.
Anyone who has headed Russia for more than 20 years and has seen every world leader during this period will surely try to wonder about the pitcher of his new, less experienced and surprising counterpart.
Examining looks has many reasons, and curiosity is not one of them. If there is one thing that Putin is most gifted with, even to the knowledge of his opponents at home and abroad, it is taking advantage of the opportunities that come his way. Male exchanges at the top of the countries, with which Russia has important interactions and interface points for it, naturally provide the Kremlin with an opportunity to improve positions, press and coax in an attempt to establish new understandings.
Benjamin Netanyahu is perceived in Moscow as an extraordinary leader: strong, smart and with the very same talent that is attributed to Putin - taking advantage of opportunities. During Netanyahu's long tenure, Israel and Russia have formulated mutual rules of action, on the ground (especially in Syria, after Russia's military entry alongside Assad) and also in closed rooms. The Russians were not satisfied with these rules, but preferred not to risk deviating from them. Netanyahu's personality, and his image in the Kremlin, played a large part in the Russians' decisions to refrain from supplying certain types of weapons to countries in the Middle East, to tolerate Israeli activity in Syria, and to respond positively to such and such Israeli requests. For the avoidance of doubt, Netanyahu-led Israel also provided consideration and knew how to make its own gestures towards Moscow, but the price of consideration was always tolerable.
Now that Israel has come to power without a value or political direction, the Russians will try to change the equations agreed with Netanyahu.
In fact, in recent months they have repeatedly signaled that they are not satisfied with such and other elements in the arrangements that have been made - announced through military sources that the Syrians are succeeding in intercepting Israeli missiles;
Declared, without being asked, their readiness to launch talks with the Palestinians, and more.
Another touchstone was thrown into the air on the verge of Bennett's trip to Sochi, when following Iranian Army Chief of Staff Muhammad Bakri's visit to Moscow it was made public that Tehran was interested in a massive purchase of advanced Russian weapons systems, especially helicopters and planes. MiG-35s, Sukhoi-30s and Sukhoi-35s, MIL-28 and K-52 helicopters, and above all - the newest fifth-generation Sukhoi-57 fighter jet.
The supply of weapons to Iran is only one of Putin's means of negotiation, and only one of his goals. Either way, Bennett will find in Sochi a stubborn, experienced and difficult discourse.
