Russian Envoy Marks 35 Years of Renewed Ties, Praises Israel's Neutrality
Translated & summarized from Maariv by baba
Russian Ambassador Anatoly Viktorov marked 35 years of renewed diplomatic ties between Russia and Israel, highlighting historical connections and shared WWII memories. He praised Israel's neutral stance on the Ukraine conflict and its refusal to join sanctions against Moscow. Viktorov noted Russia's efforts in regional de-escalation and hostage releases, expressing optimism for continued bilateral cooperation across various sectors despite sanctions impacting trade.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Russian Ambassador Anatoly Viktorov celebrated 35 years of renewed diplomatic relations between Russia and Israel.
- Viktorov praised Israel's balanced approach to the Ukraine crisis and its refusal to join anti-Russian sanctions.
- He highlighted shared historical ties, including the significant role of Jewish soldiers in WWII and Soviet support for Israel's founding.
- Bilateral trade between Russia and Israel has exceeded $2 billion annually despite sanctions and banking difficulties.
- Russia has made efforts to de-escalate the Middle East conflict and contributed to the release of Israeli hostages.
- The ambassador expressed optimism for continued cooperation in security, economy, science, and culture.
Russian Ambassador to Israel Anatoly Viktorov has written a special article commemorating 35 years since the renewal of diplomatic relations between Russia and Israel. He highlighted the historical ties between the two nations, noting the significant influence of Russian language and culture on key figures in early Israeli statehood, such as Chaim Weizmann, Ze'ev Jabotinsky, David Ben-Gurion, and Golda Meir. Viktorov emphasized the shared memory of World War II and the crucial role of the Red Army, which included 500,000 Jewish soldiers, in defeating Nazism and liberating Europe.
Viktorov recalled that the Soviet Union supported the establishment of Israel and was the first to recognize it de jure in May 1948. Despite a diplomatic break in 1967, relations were fully restored in October 1991, leading to dynamic cooperation across various fields. He pointed to intensive political dialogue, including six phone calls between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2025 and another in January 2026, as well as ongoing inter-ministerial contacts.
The ambassador praised Israel's balanced approach to the Ukraine crisis, its refusal to join anti-Russian sanctions, and its decision not to supply arms to Kyiv. He stated that Russia, in turn, has made efforts to de-escalate the current conflict in the Middle East and has contributed to the release of some Israeli hostages from Gaza.
Viktorov expressed Russia's commitment to a stable Middle East and its belief in political-diplomatic solutions to regional conflicts, including the Israeli-Palestinian issue based on international law. He also mentioned Russia's efforts to promote a security system in the Middle East that is inclusive and considers the legitimate security interests of all regional states.
Despite unprecedented sanctions against Russia, bilateral trade has exceeded $2 billion annually for several years. Viktorov expressed confidence that Israel's future political leadership will continue to engage in constructive dialogue with Russia, looking optimistically at the potential for further cooperation in regional and international affairs, security, economy, science, technology, health, culture, education, and tourism.
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