Netanyahu, Putin speak by phone about Syria, Mideast situation

The Kremlin said Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu had a telephone conversation earlier in the day in which they discussed bilateral cooperation, the situation in Syria and the Middle East peace process. Netanyahu also congratulated Putin on the occasion of Russia's Victory Day that commemorates the 1945 defeat of Nazi Germany. On Thursday, Putin will meet Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi.