High-level interactions between Israel and Russia will resume as soon as the COVID-19 situation allows, Charge d'Affaires ad interim of Israel to Russia Yacov Livne, said on Friday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 03rd July, 2020) High-level interactions between Israel and Russia will resume as soon as the COVID-19 situation allows, Charge d'Affaires ad interim of Israel to Russia Yacov Livne, said on Friday.
The diplomat recalled that Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Israel in early 2020 and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu traveled to Moscow shortly afterward. According to Livne, relations between the two countries are trustworthy.
"Such [high-level] meetings will surely continue, too, as soon as the situation with the coronavirus permits," Livne said, as broadcast live on the Rossiya 24 channel.
Livne also mentioned that over 300,000 Russians visited Israel last year, while more than 250,000 Israelis traveled to Russia, and wished that his country would soon be able to receive guests from Russia again.
Moreover, the diplomat added that the negotiations on a free trade agreement between Israel and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) could result in the signing of the deal as early as by the end of the year.
"I think there is an opportunity to end negotiations in 2020, to sign it [the agreement], and then implement it. This will boost our bilateral economic relations," Livne said.
The EAEU, an international integrative economic alliance, includes Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has said that the EAEU could successfully negotiate free trade deals with Israel and Egypt this year.
