Board of Deputies president Jonathan Arkush has defended his decision to meet Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

The communal head spoke to the Russian president at the Kremlin on January 19, as part of a European Jewish Congress delegation.

Mr Arkush said at the Board plenary on Sunday that though Jews had endured "a difficult, difficult history" in Russia, the meeting had been a good idea.

"What I think is really important is that the Jewish people needs to be able to have a conversation with some of the most powerful leaders in the world," he said, "and to be able to discuss things openly, and I was very proud therefore that on behalf of the Board of Deputies I was able to be there present at this meeting."

During what Mr Arkush called "a strikingly friendly meeting" the Board president said he raised the issue of Russian weaponry finding its way into the hands of Hezbollah.

He added that Russia was relatively friendly to Jews, saying: "You can walk down the streets in any Russian city with a kippah, which is more than you can say about some western European cities."

Mr Arkush also told the plenary that dialogue was important in dealing with Israel Apartheid Week, which will be held at universities across Britain this week.

The president said: "Despite the fact that 'apartheid' aimed at Israel is an absolute slur, we have the ability to debate things freely on our camps and everywhere else, and we should defeat them in the arguments."

He assured deputies that "Jewish students on campus are well up for combating these slurs.

"I think it has got worse since I was at university, but I am fully confident in the UJS (Union of Jewish Students) to put our case across with conviction."

Mr Arkush pointed out that a debate about boycotting Israel "was won by a very convincing majority at Warwick University this week, and that is the best way to combat our detractors."

The argument for boycotting Israel was defeated by 644 to 376.