Today, Vladimir Putin took part in the Keren Hayesod Foundation Congress in Moscow. It's an Israeli charity foundation. Its activities are aimed at financing support programs of different projects in the spheres of education, culture, religion, and charity. In his speech, the President told that Russian-Israeli cooperation is mutually beneficial.
Vladimir Putin: "It's important that your foundation does a lot for activating contacts between Russian and Israeli people. It helps to expand cooperation between our countries in politics, economics, culture, humanitarian assistance, and other spheres. And such activity can only be welcomed. Let me stress that Russia pays a lot of attention to developing multi-dimensional, mutually beneficial relations with Israel. We aspire to build them in a collaborating, constructive way. I can proudly say, without exaggerating, that Russian-Israeli relations of this level never existed at this level before. Unless we recall the very first months or first few years of the Israeli State establishment.
Vladimir Putin also touched on the topic of preparing the free-trade zone agreement between Israel and the Eurasian Economic Union.
Vladimir Putin: "Trade volume between Russia and Israel went up by 9%. Though the total value is quite low — about $3 billion, I'm sure we'll be able to do a lot soon in order to move forward. The further expansion of trade volume will surely be supported by a free-trade zone agreement between members of the EurAsEC. You know, it's an organization in the economical cooperation field created on the ex-USSR spaces. And we're approaching the final stage of signing the free-trade zone document between this organization — EurAsEC — and Israel".
