MOSCOW, December 23. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the situation in the Middle East and anti-terrorism efforts in a phone conversation, the Kremlin press service said late Thursday.

The two leaders "continued the exchange of opinions on the current situation in the Middle East" and "confirmed their readiness for further active cooperation in the fight against terrorism," the statement reads.

The conversation, held on the Israeli initiative, is the second this week. On Wednesday, December 21, Netanyahu offered condolences over the assassination of Russia’s ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov, and said his country was ready to boost anti-terrorism cooperation with Russia.

In an interview with CBS in mid-December, the Israeli prime minister described his country’s relations with Russia as "friendly", but noted that the United States remained the Jewish state’s closest ally.