Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu spoke on the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday about developments in the region and the case of Naama Issachar, the Israeli woman serving a 7.5-year sentence for a small amount of marijuana found in her possessions while in transit at Moscow's airport.
The Prime Minister's Office said: "The conversation was warm and to the point. The conversation strengthened the Prime Minister's optimism that matter of Naama Issachar's release is moving towards a solution."
Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Yevgeny Ivanov on Tuesday said Moscow is not weighing options for a prisoner swap which would free Naama Issachar, Russia's TASS news agency reported.
"As far as I know, an exchange option is not being looked at," TASS quoted Ivanov as saying.
He added: She was convicted on criminal charges. As for [Issachar’s] complaints with the European Court of Human Rights, it is the job of her attorneys. We can advise nothing about that. It is her right."