Netanyahu unexpectedly boasts of contacts with Putin – for the first time since the start of the war against Ukraine

In the Knesset on the evening of December 8, 2025, a statement was made that even for Israeli politics looks like a dissonance. The opposition gathered 40 signatures and demanded that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu explain why Israel is losing positions on the international stage. In response, the Prime Minister issued an argument that had not been heard in his speeches since February 2022: he “regularly communicates” with Vladimir Putin.

Netanyahu assured that Israel’s position is “brilliant,” and that personal connection with the Kremlin is one of the proofs of this.

“I constantly talk with President Putin, this has been going on for decades and serves our vital interests,” the Prime Minister stated.

He explained that such contacts are necessary to “slow down attempts” to harm security on Israel’s northern border. He did not specify who exactly and how is trying to interfere in the situation.

Return to the old scheme

Before Russia’s attack on Ukraine, Netanyahu often demonstrated his ties with Putin. He used photographs of handshakes in election campaigns, betting on “personal trust.” But with the start of the full-scale war, the tone disappeared: contacts with Moscow were not publicized, details of conversations were hidden.

The Kremlin’s press service regularly reported on telephone conversations. The office of the Prime Minister of Israel only confirmed the fact, avoiding descriptions of the content.

Now this line has unexpectedly returned — right in the midst of discussions about the weakening of Israel’s international positions.

Reaction of the Knesset

Immediately after the Prime Minister’s words, there were shouts from the opposition in the hall. Deputies demanded explanations as to why communication with the leader of a state conducting an aggressive war against Ukraine is cited as an argument in favor of “Israel’s successes.”

Netanyahu continued his speech, accusing the opposition of “fear of the truth.” The Prime Minister stated that the state commission to investigate the October 7 disaster would be biased, and the demand for its creation is a political move.

This remark caused a new wave of disputes in the hall.

Why the statement about Putin was made right now

The context amplifies the effect: criticism of Netanyahu’s government is growing in the US and Europe. A public reminder of contacts with Russia looks like an attempt to demonstrate that the Prime Minister has additional diplomatic “levers,” although the effectiveness of these levers is questioned by many analysts.

Thus, Netanyahu’s statement became a new front in the domestic political struggle — and an indicator of how tense the discussion around Israeli foreign policy has become. The situation continues to be monitored by the editorial team of NAnews — News of Israel | Nikk.Agency.