The new Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen in his inauguration speech outlined a change in politics against Ukraine, according to the military-political observer of the Walla portal Barak Ravid.
Cohen said that tomorrow, January 3, he would talk on the phone with the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. This will be Lavrov’s first conversation with Israeli Foreign Minister after Russian invasion.
Cohen’s predecessor in this post Yair Lapid held a tougher line (although far from as tough as the position of the United States, Great Britain and EU countries). Nevertheless, Lapid condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and called the actions of the Russian army a “war crime.” Since the beginning of the war, Lapida did not talk to Lavrov, and after taking office, the prime minister has never talked with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In a conversation before the election, Lapid hinted to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmitry Kulebe that if he forms the next government, he will consider the possibility of expanding assistance to Ukraine, including the military.
In his presentation, Cohen hinted that, unlike his predecessor in this post, publicly condemn military aggression and crimes of Russia is not going to.
“In the issue of Russia and Ukraine, we will definitely do one thing – we will speak less publicly,” he said.
Cohen added that the Foreign Ministry “will prepare a detailed appeal to the Cabinet of Ministers on the issue of Ukraine – to form a” responsible policy. “
“In any case, significant humanitarian assistance to Ukraine will continue,” he said.