US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid met Monday to discuss Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the possibility of a new agreement with Iran on limiting its nuclear programme.
Lapid flew to Riga, Latvia to connect with Washington’s top diplomat two days after Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett travelled to Moscow for a three-hour meeting with President Vladimir Putin, hoping to find a way to end the bloodshed in Ukraine.
“The way to stop the war is to negotiate,” Lapid said at the start of the meeting in a Riga hotel.
“Israel is speaking with both sides, both with Russia and Ukraine, and we’re working in full coordination with our greatest ally the United States and with our European partners,” he said.
Blinken thanked Israel for its effort to help find an end to the war.
On Sunday Bennett said Israel would press on with diplomatic efforts “as needed,” despite Russia continuing its attack 12 days after its forces invaded Ukraine without provocation.
“Even if the chance is not great — as soon as there is even a small opening, and we have access to all sides and the capability — I see this as our moral obligation to make every effort,” he said.
Lapid also said he would talk with Blinken about Israel’s interests in the possible revival of the 2015 nuclear agreement aimed at preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.
“We’re united and committed to the proposition that Iran must never attain a nuclear weapon,” Blinken assured his Israeli counterpart.
pmh/dt/pvh
