Israel PM asks Ukraine president to surrender to Russia

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to surrender to Russian conditions to end the war in his country, Israeli media reported on Friday.

According to The Jerusalem Post, a Ukrainian official said Bennett asked Zelensky to accept the Russian conditions in a phone call conducted between the two on Tuesday.

However, the Israeli daily reported that Zelensky rejected the recommendation of the Israeli Prime Minister.

“If I were you, I would think about the lives of my people and take the offer,” Bennett reportedly recommended, according to The Jerusalem Post.

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A Ukrainian official indicated: “Bennett told us to surrender. We have no intention of doing so. We know Putin’s offer is only the beginning.”

Regarding Ukraine’s request for military support from Israel, the Ukrainian official said that Israel asked Ukraine not to request more military and defence aid because the request could harm the mediation efforts conducted by Bennett between Kyiv and Moscow.

The Jerusalem Post reported the Ukrainian official stating: “If Bennett wants to be neutral and mediate, we would expect to see him appoint someone to work on it day and night and try to get a compromise.”

The Israeli newspaper expects that Ukrainians believe that the purpose of Israeli mediation stems from the Israeli plan not to take a clear stance on the war in Ukraine to preserve its relations with Russia.