Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has revealed that he has not spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in two years. In an interview with Axios, Zelensky emphasized that it is up to the Israeli government to decide whether it wishes to collaborate with Kyiv.
When asked if Netanyahu supports Russian President Vladimir Putin, Zelensky expressed uncertainty. He stated,
“I have the feeling that Netanyahu always wants to balance between Russia and Ukraine, even when Russia is assisting Iran. He is the prime minister of his country, and he has to decide what to do.”
Zelensky also noted that Ukraine possesses resources that Israel needs, indicating a potential for dialogue. He remarked,
“We have what he (Netanyahu) needs, and he has what we need… We have a significant deficit in air defense. But we have what Israel lacks, and we are ready for this dialogue.”
On March 14, Ynet reported that Netanyahu had reached out to Ukraine with a request for a conversation aimed at establishing cooperation in countering Iranian drones. Zelensky had previously indicated his willingness to engage with the Israeli leader.
Additionally, Zelensky mentioned that there are currently 228 Ukrainian specialists in the Middle East assisting local air defense forces in combating Iranian strike drones. He also disclosed that Ukraine has received 11 requests for security support from neighboring countries of Iran, as well as from European nations and the United States, to counter threats posed by Iranian drones and similar challenges.
President Zelensky has not communicated with Israeli PM Netanyahu for two years, emphasizing the need for Israel to decide on cooperation with Ukraine. Discussions are ongoing regarding defense collaboration, particularly against Iranian drone threats.