Eli Cohen made his first phone call as Israel's Foreign Minister to his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday.
“I have now finished a conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who called to congratulate me on taking office,” Mr Cohen wrote in a tweet.
“We discussed a series of bilateral and regional issues, and the relations between the countries.”
He did not provide further detail about the call. Israel and Russia have been in discussions about a free-trade agreement since 2019.
The former Israeli government of Yair Lapid had faced calls to do more for Ukraine, including sending defensive weapons after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked Israel for its Iron Dome defensive missile system in October. The Iron Dome is widely seen as one of the world's most effective missile defence systems.
Some observers of Russia's war in Ukraine have argued that Israel would benefit from sending military equipment to help Kyiv fend off relentless Russian drone and missile attacks. Russia has received hundreds of Iranian so-called “kamikaze drones,” which could otherwise be used to bolster Iran's strength in the Middle East.
Benny Gantz, who was defence minister at the time, said that such military aid would not be forthcoming, although Israel sent some systems designed to detect incoming drones.
Mr Cohen, a senior member of returning Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's new government, spoke to Mr Lavrov a day after he gave his first speech as Foreign Minister.
Mr Cohen said Israeli aid to Ukraine would continue, during his address on Monday, adding that there would be “less talk” on the Russia-Ukraine issue.
A potential warming of Israeli-Russian relations has seen backlash in the West.
US Senator Lindsay Graham said it was “unnerving” for Israel to speak less of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“I hope Mr Cohen understands that when he speaks to Russia's Lavrov, he's speaking to a representative of a war criminal regime that commits war crimes on an industrial scale every day,” Mr Graham wrote on Monday after Mr Cohen's announcement of the scheduled call.
During his brief stint out of office, Mr Netanyahu had called on the Russian President to end the war in Ukraine.
“We all have sympathy to Ukraine, it’s not even a question, and I’m no different,” he said during an interview with USA Today in October.
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Profile of Bitex UAE
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
A little about CVRL
Founded in 1985 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) is a government diagnostic centre that provides testing and research facilities to the UAE and neighbouring countries.
One of its main goals is to provide permanent treatment solutions for veterinary related diseases.
The taxidermy centre was established 12 years ago and is headed by Dr Ulrich Wernery.
What you as a drone operator need to know
A permit and licence is required to fly a drone legally in Dubai.
Sanad Academy is the United Arab Emirate’s first RPA (Remotely Piloted Aircraft) training and certification specialists endorsed by the Dubai Civil Aviation authority.
It is responsible to train, test and certify drone operators and drones in UAE with DCAA Endorsement.
“We are teaching people how to fly in accordance with the laws of the UAE,” said Ahmad Al Hamadi, a trainer at Sanad.
“We can show how the aircraft work and how they are operated. They are relatively easy to use, but they need responsible pilots.
“Pilots have to be mature. They are given a map of where they can and can’t fly in the UAE and we make these points clear in the lectures we give.
“You cannot fly a drone without registration under any circumstances.”
Larger drones are harder to fly, and have a different response to location control. There are no brakes in the air, so the larger drones have more power.
The Sanad Academy has a designated area to fly off the Al Ain Road near Skydive Dubai to show pilots how to fly responsibly.
“As UAS technology becomes mainstream, it is important to build wider awareness on how to integrate it into commerce and our personal lives,” said Major General Abdulla Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief, Dubai Police.
“Operators must undergo proper training and certification to ensure safety and compliance.
“Dubai’s airspace will undoubtedly experience increased traffic as UAS innovations become commonplace, the Forum allows commercial users to learn of best practice applications to implement UAS safely and legally, while benefitting a whole range of industries.”
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