Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday and expressed his hope that his visit to Israel will help advance the bilateral relations between Israel and Russia.
"Mr. prime minister and honored colleagues, I would like to thank you for the invitation to come," said Putin. "We are working regularly with the prime minister. We concluded some time ago to come here and visit Israel. I am certain that this will aid in advancing our bilateral relations and of course, today we recall the victims of the Holocaust. I would like to again thank the Prime Minister and also his wife for the invitation to visit Israel. Thank you very much."