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EXPERT COMMENT

Israel’s strengthening ties with Russia aligns with a shift in US Russia policy under Trump. But it risks widening an already significant rift with Israel’s European partners.

Israel has consistently pursued a policy of strategic ambiguity regarding Russia. Even after the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, when most Western nations implemented comprehensive sanctions, Israel chose a more calibrated response and maintained working relations with Russia. 

The Israeli government argued this position was due to practical security considerations – particularly Russia’s significant military presence in Syria, where Israel regularly conducts operations against Iranian-linked targets – rather than ideological alignment with Moscow.

This measured approach has persisted even though Russian policy towards Israel might have justified a harsher stance. Moscow’s lack of clear condemnation of the 7 October 2023 Hamas terror attacks, its continued engagement with terrorist organizations hostile to Israel – such as Hezbollah and the Houthis – and occasional antisemitic rhetoric from Russian officials have not fundamentally altered Israel’s calculus. 

Rather than viewing these as insurmountable obstacles, Israeli policymakers have treated them as manageable irritants within a necessarily complex relationship.

With Donald Trump’s return to the White House, this dynamic looks set to evolve further, as both the US and Israel signal an openness to engage with Russia despite significant underlying tensions.

Click here to continue reading the full version of this Expert Comment on the Chatham House website.