Ukraine President Zelenskyy says he is ‘shocked’ by Israel’s lack of support for Ukraine

Europe, Middle East, News September 25, 2022 , by IRIA No Comments

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy complained about Israel’s lack of support for Ukraine’s war efforts. “Israel gave us nothing. Nothing, zero,” Zelenskyy said in an interview with a European news channel.

In a recent interview, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said that “I don’t know what happened to Israel. I’m honestly, frankly, I am in shock because I don’t understand why they couldn’t give us air defense.” He further stressed that “I am stating the facts. My conversations with the Israeli leadership have done nothing to help Ukraine.” Zelenskyy later toned down his comments by adding, “I understand, they have a difficult situation, regarding the situation with Syria and Russia.”

Zelenkyy’s comments towards Israel’s lack of support have become harsher in recent times. This is not the first time that the Ukrainian administration has pointed out Israel’s lack of material support for Ukraine. Earlier in March this year, Zelenskyy addressed the Israeli parliament through a video link where he rebuked Israel for not supporting Ukrainian war efforts and for not taking a clear stance against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. “One can often ask why we cannot receive weapons from you, why Israel did not impose serious sanctions on Russia?” He said during his speech.

Ukrainian administration started asking for weapons and support from the Western countries shortly after the Russian invasion started in February 2022. President Zelenskyy made several requests to Israel to immediately provide Ukraine with their Iron Dome missile defense systems, which could have been used to intercept Russian rocket attacks on civilian settlements saving many lives and reducing the damage. However, despite the repeated requests from Ukraine, Israeli authorities never gave a positive response to Ukraine.

Israeli Iron Dome defense system, designed to intercept and destroy incoming short-range rockets and artillery shells — *^{Israeli Iron Dome defense system is designed to intercept and destroy incoming short-range rockets and artillery shells. (Image Credit: AFP/via Nationalinterest)}*

Earlier this week, Ukrainian Ambassador to Israel Yevgen Kornichuk lashed out at Israel’s Finance Minister Avigdor Liberman following his comments where he referred to Israel’s position of “neutrality” regarding the Russia-Ukraine war.

Kornichuk said, “It is unthinkable that Liberman would not strongly condemn the attacking side.” He further added that “Ukraine was dragged by Russia into this bloody war and our citizens are paying a very heavy price every single day. I am shocked by Mr. Liberman’s indifference toward the crimes that the Ukrainian people have experienced at the hands of the Russians.”

Although Israel openly condemns the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Jewish state is in an awkward position as it does not want completely sever its relations with Russia in the light of Russia’s military presence in Syria. Israel is also trying to support the West against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. There is also a substantially large Ukrainian-Jewish population that lives in Israel, mounting the pressure even further on the Israeli administration.