Israel won’t jeopardise its ties with Russia for Ukrainians: official

Israel’s relations with Russia are creating “limits that cannot be overcome,” the Israeli ambassador to Kyiv said yesterday, referring to recent criticism by Ukrainian Jews on Israel’s stance on the Russian invasion.

Michael Brodsky told the Washington Post that his country was aware of the “frustration of some Ukrainian Jews.”

“No government in Israel is going to jeopardise this interest for anybody else, including the Ukrainians,” he said.

Pointing to the fact that Israel was not part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), Brodsky described his country’s situation as “fragile”.

Most Ukrainian Jews understand Israel is in a tough position, he added, according to the Washington Post..

Israel is yet to respond to Kyiv’s demand for air defence systems in the wake of Russia’s war on Ukraine, now in its ninth month.

Israel’s pro-Kyiv policies did not go beyond the declaration of support for Ukraine against the Russian offensive, rejecting the referendum in the regions annexed by Russia, and the provision of humanitarian aid in the war.

Ukraine considers these steps insufficient.

READ: ‘Israel-Ukraine tensions may continue under Netanyahu’