Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a greeting to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday to mark the beginning of the civil New Year, in which he expressed his hope for continued cooperation between Israel and Russia in 2019 in order to "advance peace and security in the region," according to Channel 10 Television.
In a separate letter sent to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, Putin promised continued assistance to the Syrian government in the "war on terror." The letters were among a number written to world leaders.