The Embassy of Ukraine in Israel accused the country of close cooperation with the Russian Federation and a "clear pro-Russian position." Because of this, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Israel will summon the Ukrainian ambassador.
The Ukrainian diplomatic mission on Facebook reproached Israel for the lack of defense aid in the war with Russia, called the visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Israel to Ukraine "fruitless", and also criticized the interview of the Prime Minister Netanyahu, where "completely invented and speculative assumptions were made, which involve the transfer of Western weapons from the Ukrainian battlefield to the Syrian and Iranian regimes".
In addition, the embassy mentioned the opening of another Russian diplomatic mission in Jerusalem, negotiations with the Russian Federation at a high level and the lack of reaction to Putinʼs anti-Semitic statements.
"While the Ukrainian people, including its significant Jewish community, are bleeding under the onslaught of Russian missiles and Iranian drones, the Israeli leadership, covering itself with verbal demagoguery about its neutrality (although not hiding it), is actively establishing relations with the Russian Federation. In fact, on the ground, the so-called "neutrality" of the Israeli government is seen as a clear pro-Russian position," the Ukrainian embassy noted in a statement.
The Jerusalem Post reports that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel plans to summon the Ambassador of Ukraine Yevhen Korniychuk for an explanation.
During the briefing, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen stated that "despite the complexity [of relations] with Russia, Israel has supported Ukraine since the beginning of the war until today, the public [of Israel] supported its territorial integrity and sovereignty and voted to condemn Russia in international forums."
He added that last year Israel sent an unprecedented amount of 80 million shekels to Ukraine, and this year it has an even bigger budget to help Kyiv.
Cohen also emphasized that the Israeli missile strike warning system, which is being tested in Kyiv, will save the lives of peaceful Ukrainians.
- Currently, Israel is helping Ukraine with humanitarian cargo. In February 2023, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen met in Kyiv with the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and promised to provide Ukraine with a system for warning the civilian population about an air threat.
- On May 7, Ukraine began receiving Israeli radars for a new air threat warning system. They are produced by RADA Electronic Industries.