Israeli lawmakers Yuli Edelstein of Likud and Ze’ev Elkin of the opposition National Unity Party met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday night. They issued a strong statement in support of Ukraine in its war with Russia.
“I saw with my own eyes what is happening in the region. Iranian involvement is evident. Iranian technology and weapons are in Russian use and provide Iran with combat experience,” Edelstein tweeted following the meeting.
“Let’s not let this continue and let’s not sit on the fence any longer. Israel must side with Ukraine against the dangerous combination of Russia and Iran,” he added.
Ukraine’s Minister of Defense Oleksii Reznikov said that the security situation and bilateral cooperation in defense were discussed with the Israelis.
Glad to welcome representatives of the 🇮🇱Knesset, @YuliEdelstein and @zeev_elkin, in 🇺🇦 Kyiv. We discussed the security situation in 🇺🇦 & key aspects of bilateral cooperation in the defense sector. Sincerely grateful to 🇮🇱 for the support & humanitarian assistance provided🇺🇦 🤝🇮🇱 pic.twitter.com/YEJfUE47Yb
— Oleksii Reznikov (@oleksiireznikov) February 20, 2023
Their visit follows one last week by Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen.
Cohen promised Jerusalem would provide Kyiv with up to $200 million in loan guarantees for humanitarian purposes. Israel and Ukraine also agreed to work on the joint development of missile defense technology.
Speaking after a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba, Cohen reiterated that Jerusalem stands firmly with the Ukrainian people “and remains committed to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.”
Kuleba said the “frank talks” focused on “ways to enhance bilateral relations, increase assistance and address shared security challenges.”
