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Zelensky blames Israel for Russia-Iran alliance
BREAKING News
Alliance between Russia and Iran is a result of Israel’s refusal to take a side, he says.
By Middle East Eye Staff,
Israel is at fault for Russia’s military cooperation with Iran, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday, in one of the most direct rebukes of Israel’s policy on the war in Ukraine.
“This alliance of theirs would simply not have happened if your politicians had made only one decision at the time – the decision we asked for,” Zelensky said during a video conference organised by the Haaretz daily.
Iran has reportedly delivered hundreds of Mohajer-6 and Shahed-136 combat drones to Russia. The presence of Iranian drones in Ukraine’s battlefields has picked up in recent weeks, with Russia responding to setbacks in its military campaign by launching massive strikes on Kyiv.
Israel has repeatedly turned down Ukrainian requests for military assistance against Russia‘s invasion. Israel has supplied humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
Axios reported last week that the Ukrainian government had sent Israel an official request for the Iron Dome air defence system to counter Iranian ballistic missiles and attack drones used by Russia.
Defence Minister Benny Gantz ruled out military aid to Ukraine, following comments by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev that such a move was “reckless”.
“Israel appears to be getting ready to supply weapons to the Kyiv regime. A very reckless move. It would destroy all bilateral relations between our countries,” he said in a statement on Telegram.
Israel says its policy is based on maintaining working relations with Russia in order to have freedom of movement in Syria’s airspace to strike Iranian targets. Russia maintains missile defence systems in Syria.
Zelensky said that Israel has been ignoring Ukraine since 2014, when it says Russia began its aggression against its western neighbour.
“I emphasise, we have been asking Israel for help since 2014,” the Ukrainian leader said, referencing the year when Russia annexed Crimea, and fighting erupted in eastern Ukraine between Kyiv and Russian-backed separatists.
‘Off the sidelines’
Zelensky made a direct plea to the Israel people: “Isn’t it time for your state to choose who you are with?” he said.