Putin suggests inviting Netanyahu to Crimea for synagogue unveiling

Russian President Vladimir Putin marks the fifth anniversary of Russia’s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine by visiting the Black Sea peninsula, as NATO and the European Union once again strongly condemn the land grab.

During a meeting with local residents that involved religious leaders, Putin says he has invited Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to attend the opening of a new mosque in the region and suggests also inviting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to visit a ceremony for unveiling a new synagogue.

— AP

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) meets with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Kremlin in Moscow on February 27, 2019. (Maxim Shemetov/Pool/AFP)