Netanyahu, Erdogan, And German Foreign Minister Gabriel In Moscow For Talks

Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (file photo)

Russia will be a center for diplomacy on March 9, hosting the leaders of Israel and Turkey as well as Germany's foreign minister.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said he intends to use his visit with Russian President Vladimir Putin to "express Israel's strong opposition to the presence of Iranian forces, and those of its proxies" on Israel's northern border with Lebanon and Syria.

"This is a very important meeting for the security of Israel," it said. Victory over the terrorism of Daesh cannot lead to an upsurge in terrorism by Iran and its proxies," it said, using another name for the extremist group Islamic State (IS). "We will not exchange terrorism for terrorism."

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is expected to meet with his German counterpart, Sigmar Gabriel, to discuss issues including the conflict in Ukraine. Gabriel and Putin might also meet later in the day.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is also expected to arrive in Moscow on March 9 but will not meet with Putin until March 10, the Kremlin said.

They are expected to discuss the conflict in Syria, as well as the construction of the Turkish Stream gas pipeline and the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, it said.

Based on reporting by AP, dpa, and TASS