The two leaders had a phone call on Monday, the first time that they have spoken since Bennett was sworn in on June 13 as the head of Israel’s 36th government.

Israel’s Prime Minister Naftali Bennett thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for the role that his country is playing in maintaining regional stability, his office said.

The two leaders had a phone call on Monday, the first time that they have spoken since Bennett was sworn in on June 13 as the head of Israel’s 36th government.

Bennett expressed his appreciation for the historic bond between the Russian and Jewish peoples, saying that he views aliyah from Russia as a bridge between the two countries.

The heads of state also discussed security and diplomacy, the statement said, with Bennett voicing gratitude for Putin’s assistance “on the issue of the captives and the missing.” They agreed to meet soon.