Israeli media reported that US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken asked Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen to convey a message to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
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The Russian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday announced a telephone conversation between Lavrov and Cohen.
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The State Department said Jan. 2 that Blinken and Cohen discussed bilateral relations, the threat posed by Iran, and Israel’s regional integration by phone.
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“Blinken yesterday asked Cohen to convey messages to Lavrov, but did not say what they were about,” the Times of Israel said in a statement, citing the Israeli diplomat.
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According to the publication, Kyiv wanted Cohen to first call his Ukrainian colleague Dmitry Kuleba. “Now … there is a possibility that Kuleba will refuse to speak with Cohen for the foreseeable future,” the Times of Israel said in a statement.
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The new Israeli government, led by Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu, was sworn in on December 29. The day before, the Likud and the ultra-Orthodox party Yahadut HaTorah signed a final coalition agreement. Later, the signing of the agreement was announced by the Religious Zionist Party, as well as Shas, Jewish Power and Noam. Netanyahu has already served as Prime Minister of Israel from 1996-1999 and 2009-2021.
