A delegation of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee traveled to Russia Sunday morning for an official three-day visit at the invitation of the head of the Federation Council, the upper house of the Federal Assembly of Russia. During the visit, the MKs are scheduled to meet with Mikhail Bogdanov, President Vladimir Putin`s special envoy to the Middle East, as well as with Deputy Minister of Defense Anatoly Antonov and the deputy head of Russia`s National Security Council. Additional meetings are scheduled with members of the Russia-Israel Friendship Association.
Before leaving, Committee Chairman Avi Dichter said, ”My goal during this visit will be to promote more balanced and sensible positions related to Israel`s interests. Such positions may cause countries which look up to Russia to follow suit.” The meetings, he added, will focus on ”presenting the true intentions of Iran, which, de facto, operates as the leading terror state in the world, against Israel and other countries in the region.”