On the evening of Thursday, October 20, a telephone conversation was held between Israel Prime Minister Yair Lapid and Foreign Minister of Ukraine Dmitry Kuleboy.
Israeli media, citing the prime minister’s office, report that Lapid told the Ukrainian minister that Israel was “deeply” concerned about military cooperation between Russia and Iran, but he emphasized that “Israel is on the side of the Ukrainian people” in the war with Russia.
The conversation between Lapid and Kuleba took place after Kyiv officially turned to Israel earlier with a request to provide Ukraine with Israeli air defense systems and missile defense systems that will help it withstand the attacks committed by Russia using drones and ballistic Iranian -made missiles. The Ukrainian appeal says that Russia has changed its tactics and began to use Iranian drones to strikes in cities and infrastructure facilities of Ukraine. “Ukraine is very interested in the speedy receipt of defense systems from Israel and, in particular: the laser system” Iron Ray “,” Barack 8 “, Patriot,” Iron Dome “,” Pryshchi David “and” Hets “. We also ask for Israeli help in training Ukrainian operators, ”the letter says, the Israeli media noted.
The letter also emphasized that the request of Ukraine is based on the fact that if Iran gains positive experience in operating its weapons systems in the war in Ukraine, this will lead to the improvement of Iranian weapons systems and strengthen the ability of Iran to produce offensive weapons, which will pose a threat to the threat For Israel and the entire Middle East.
This week, the Minister of Defense of Israel, Beni Ganz, said at a meeting with ambassadors of EU member states that Israel would not transfer the weapons system to Ukraine due to the “number of operational reasons.”