Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett secretly traveled to Moscow on Saturday to discuss a possible ceasefire with Russian President Vladimir Putin, an Israeli official confirmed to Axios.
Why it matters: This is a highly unusual move by Bennett, who has been communicating with both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in recent days. Bennett informed Zelensky by phone after Saturday’s meeting.
Get market news worth your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free.
-
A senior Israeli official said the meeting lasted three hours. He added that Bennett has asked Putin to set up humanitarian corridors to allow Ukrainian Jews to leave the country. They also discussed the effect of the war on the Jewish community in Russia.
-
The Israeli official said Bennett also discussed ongoing nuclear talks with Iran in Vienna and emphasized his opposition to reviving the 2015 deal.
The state of affairsIsraeli Prime Minister’s Office has notified the White House prior to Bennett’s trip, an Israeli official told Axios.
-
On Friday, Bennett spoke to National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan by phone and informed him that he planned to see Putin the next day, a source with knowledge of the conversation told Axios.
-
The source said Bennett did not ask for permission, but only informed Sullivan, who did not object. Nevertheless, the source said the Biden administration is skeptical of Bennett’s affiliation with Putin.
-
An Israeli official said Israel also informed Ukraine, Germany and France ahead of the meeting. The Israeli Prime Minister traveled from Moscow to Berlin on Saturday to update German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
The big picture: Since the Russian invasion, Bennett has spoken with Zelensky and Putin twice.
-
Bennett’s mediation effort began at the request of the Ukrainian president, Israeli officials say.
-
Bennett publicly said a few days ago that Israel has a unique status that allows it to speak to both sides with which it has good relations.
-
Last October, during a meeting with Putin in Sochi, Bennett suggested holding a summit between Russia and Ukraine in Jerusalem. Putin was not enthusiastic at the time and criticized Zelensky fiercely.
Send the news: Bennett, who is an observant Jew, traveled to Moscow on Shabbat without announcing it.
After the Kremlin’s statement about the meeting, the Israeli Prime Minister’s office confirmed the trip.
Editor’s Note: This is a story under development and has been updated throughout.
More from Axios: Sign up to get the latest market trends with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free
