Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu is due to meet with Russian president Vladimir Putin to discuss Russia's involvement in the Syrian crisis, in what the Israeli press has described as a "jab" at the U.S.
Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov told journalists that Netanyahu will conduct a "short work visit" to Moscow on Monday, Russian news agency RIA Novosti reports. According to a message from the Kremlin's press desk, the talking points of the Israeli leader's meeting with Putin will include "the Middle East peace process and the global fight against terror."
Netanyahu will likely be keen to discuss increasing reports of Russian military involvement in Syria, which the Kremlin maintains is largely that of a supplier of military technology, having repeatedly denied press reports of potential Russian troop deployments to the region.
Israeli Defence Forces chief-of-staff Lieutenant General Gadi Eisenkot and Military Intelligence chief Major General Herzl Halevi will accompany Netanyahu to Moscow, according to the Jerusalem Post—a rare occurrence in the prime minister's work trips, the paper says.
Israeli daily Haaretz reports that part of the goal behind Netanyahu's trip is to ensure that any Russian presence in Syria does not result in accidental clashes with Israeli forces on the northern border, citing anonymous security sources.
The paper also adds that the visit reflects a "lack of faith in the ability or the intent of the United States to protect Israel's security interests." This is Netanyahu's first visit to Moscow since 2013, prior to the collapse of relations between Russia and the West over the Ukraine crisis.
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