Enlarge image
Sergey Lavrov
Photo: IMAGO/Sergei Bobylev / IMAGO/ITAR-TASS
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov congratulated his new Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen on his appointment on Tuesday.
According to Israeli information, it was the first meeting between the foreign ministers of both countries since the beginning of the Ukraine war in February 2022. There was a scandal in May when Lavrov's statements were criticized as anti-Semitic.
The two ministers have now "discussed a number of bilateral and regional issues," the Israeli Foreign Ministry said.
"Minister Cohen spoke at length about the Jewish community in Russia and immigrants from the former Soviet Union in Israel and the importance of the two countries' relations."
Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin apologized for Lavrov's statements in May, according to Israeli sources.
In an interview on Italian television about the war in Ukraine, Lavrov caused outrage in Israel and other countries.
Moscow also justifies the attack on the neighboring country with an allegedly necessary "denazification", although the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj is of Jewish descent.
Lavrov said that Hitler too had "Jewish blood."
'That doesn't mean anything.
The wise Jewish people say that the most fervent anti-Semites are usually Jews.«
During his inaugural speech on Monday, the Israeli foreign minister also spoke about the Ukraine war.
"One thing is certain on the subject of Russia-Ukraine - we will speak less publicly." However, humanitarian aid for Ukraine should continue.
Israel's former prime minister and foreign minister, Jair Lapid, has repeatedly condemned Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine.
Overall, however, Israel was rather cautious, so as not to jeopardize relations with Moscow.
Putin was the first to congratulate Netanyahu on forming a government in December.
During his previous tenures, Netanyahu's relationship with Putin was considered close.
dop/dpa
