Zelenskyy says 3 Israeli prime ministers have declined invitation to Kyiv, including Netanyahu
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Israeli Kan news on Wednesday that he had invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to visit Ukraine but the Israeli premier has so far declined the offer.
Speaking at the NATO summit in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius, Zelenskyy revealed that three Israeli prime ministers have declined to visit the capital of the embattled country so far.
“Mr. Netanyahu has been invited to Kyiv… I invited the other two prime ministers who used to be before Mr. Netanyahu to Ukraine,” stated Zelenskyy in reference to former premiers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid.
“So far, the prime ministers are different – the result is the same,” added the Ukrainian leader.
Zelenskyy also repeated his disappointment that the Jewish state’s leaders remain unwilling to provide Ukraine with its advanced Iron Dome anti-missile system. aerial defense
“We asked in the beginning of the war, the result is just the same as with the prime ministers,” he said. Months have passed with no outcome, unfortunately.”
At the Munich Security Conference in February, the Ukrainian leader compared Russia to Goliath and urged the Jewish state to deliver its aerial defense system to Ukraine.
Zelenskyy used biblical references in his call for help from the Israeli government.
“We have no alternative but to defeat the 'Russian Goliath.' Being 'David' is fighting and we are fighting. Being David is having a sling to win,” stated the Ukrainian president.
“We do not have yet the David’s Sling from Israel but I believe it is just temporary,” added Zelenskyy.
However, almost 6 months later, Jerusalem still remains opposed to delivering its advanced military equipment to Ukraine.
Netanyahu and his predecessors have warned that providing Ukraine with weaponry could undermine the complex Russian-Israeli ties. In addition, Netanyahu has stressed that Israeli weaponry could potentially turn up in the hands of the Jewish nation's enemies, including Iran, which cooperates with Russia in Ukraine.
The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.
