Global Courant
ISTANBUL
According to a US news site, following US pressure, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant will hold phone conversations with his Ukrainian counterpart, Oleksii Reznikov, next week.
Citing two senior Israeli defense officials, Axios said the two ministers will meet by phone early next week to discuss “non-lethal aid to Ukraine”.
The idea for the phone call came about during a meeting between Gallant and his US counterpart, Lloyd Austin, on the sidelines of a NATO defense ministers meeting in Brussels.
If confirmed, the contact will be the first between Israeli and Ukrainian defense ministers since Gallant took office last December.
“The meeting plans came after Defense Minister Lloyd Austin asked Gallant on Thursday if he would talk to his Ukrainian counterpart and do more to help Ukraine,” Israeli officials said.
According to the news portal, Gallant presented Israel’s policy of military aid to Ukraine during a meeting with Austin.
“Israel will not give Ukraine any deadly weapons,” Gallant said.
The Israeli government took a careful approach to Russia’s war in Ukraine to avoid tensions with Moscow.
But Axios said the US is putting pressure on Israel to do more to help Ukraine.
Israel-Ukraine relations have been marred by tension in recent months.
Last year, Russia launched a war on Ukraine, which was met with international outrage when the European Union, the G-7, the United States and the United Kingdom imposed harsh financial sanctions on Moscow.
However, Israel’s pro-Kiev policies did not go beyond expressing support for Ukraine against Russian aggression, refusing to hold a referendum in Russia’s annexed areas and providing humanitarian aid in the war.
However, Ukraine found these steps insufficient.
*Written by: Ikram Kouachi
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