Defense Minister Benny Gantz said on Wednesday that Israel would not supply weapons to Ukraine, two days after Moscow warned against supplying Israeli weapons to Kyiv.
For Israel, its policy towards Ukraine “does not change”
“Our policy towards Ukraine will not change. We will continue to support the West and support it, we will not provide Ukraine with a weapons system,” Benny Gantz said during a briefing for European Union ambassadors, according to a statement. press release of the services of him. However, he reiterated Israel’s commitment to continue providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
“Israel has a policy of supporting Ukraine through humanitarian aid and the delivery of vital defensive equipment. I plan to review and approve an additional aid package, as we have done in the past,” he added.
The former Russian president and current number 2 of the Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, warned Israel on Monday against arms deliveries to Ukraine, considering that it would “destroy” the relationship with Russia. “Israel appears to be preparing to hand over weapons to the Kyiv regime. This is a very reckless step. It will destroy all interstate relations between our countries,” he said on his Telegram account. When asked about these comments by the press, a spokeswoman for Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid declined to comment on Dmitry Medvedev’s remarks.
Close but complex relations between Israel and Russia
Ukraine has in the past called on Israel to support it against Russia, as the Israeli and Russian authorities maintain close relations. Israeli authorities have so far limited their cooperation with Ukraine to humanitarian aid and deliveries of non-lethal material to maintain relations with Moscow.
Israel has also become a haven for critics of the Kremlin, and even Russian celebrities have taken up residence there since the start of Moscow’s February 24 offensive against Ukraine.
Source: BFM TV
