Ukraine's Zelensky blames Israel for Russia-Iran ‘alliance’
'Is [Israel] with the democratic world... or with those who turn a blind eye to Russian terror?'
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday criticized Israel's neutrality in the Ukraine war, saying the decision by Israeli leaders not to support Kyiv encouraged Russia's military partnership with Iran.
Speaking by video at a conference organized by Haaretz, Zelensky urged that cooperation between Moscow and Tehran would not have happened if Israel agreed to supply Ukraine with military aid to defend against Russian attacks using Iranian drones.
"This alliance of theirs simply would not have happened if your politicians had made only one decision at the time... it seems that it was adopted a long time ago – in 2014, when Russia began its aggression against Ukraine,” he said, referring to Russia's invasion and annexation of Crimea.
"The decision 'not to annoy' the Kremlin, not to help Ukraine for real" enabled the alliance between Moscow and Tehran.
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Israel has maintained a strict policy of not providing Ukraine with military aid since Russia invaded its neighbor on February 24, including systems that could help Kyiv intercept missile and drone strikes.
Jerusalem’s position has however evolved over recent months, from near neutrality to more forceful condemnations of Russia. Still, Israel’s Defense Minister Benny Gantz on Monday told his Ukrainian counterpart, Oleksiy Reznikov, that "Israel will not provide weapon systems to Ukraine."
Zelensky called on Israel to make a choice in the conflict: “Isn’t it time for your state to choose who you are with?”
“Is it with the democratic world, which is fighting side by side against the existential threat to its existence? Or with those who turn a blind eye to Russian terror, even when the cost of continued terror is the complete destruction of global security?”