Netanyahu has not contacted Zelensky following his own request for a meeting
President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu always tries to find a balance between Russia and Ukraine, even when it is evident that the Russian Federation is assisting Iran.
This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing an interview with the head of state for N12.
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During the conversation, Zelensky was asked if he felt that Netanyahu was more on Putin’s side, to which the president responded:
“I have the impression that Netanyahu always tries to find a balance between Russia and Ukraine, even when it is obvious that Russia is helping Iran. He is the prime minister, and he has to make decisions,” the head of state said.
He also mentioned that he had no contacts with Netanyahu or the Israeli president, and that was precisely why Ukraine had not sent any of its experts on eliminating Iranian drones.
As is known, the last conversation between Netanyahu and Zelensky took place in January 2025. After the war with Iran began in 2026, Netanyahu requested a meeting with Zelensky. The Ukrainian leader agreed, but Netanyahu did not call.
“In my opinion, everything depends on Israel. When you need help, you must be open and explain what the problem is. Otherwise, it is impossible to help. It’s like going to a doctor without explaining what hurts,” the president said.
During the interview, the Ukrainian leader tried to convey that Ukraine has what Israel needs.
“We have what Israel needs, and Israel has what we need. He (Netanyahu – ed.) knows well; we have already told Israel several times what we need. We have a significant shortage of air defense systems, but we also have capabilities that Israel does not have, and we are ready for such dialogue,” Zelensky emphasized.
In addition, the head of state reported that Ukraine has provided leaders of Middle Eastern countries with intelligence data regarding the cooperation between Russia and Iran.
Zelensky also stated that Russia is interested in continuing the war in the Middle East, as it gains strategic advantages from it. In particular, this concerns the risk of reduced military assistance to Ukraine and the economic growth of the Russian Federation due to the easing of sanctions.
Possible dialogue between Ukraine and Israel
Recall that recently RBC-Ukraine interviewed the Israeli ambassador to Ukraine, Michael Brodsky. He suggested that the main topic of discussions between Zelensky and Netanyahu could be the situation in the Middle East.
Moreover, he believes that the Israeli prime minister would not miss the opportunity to thank Ukraine for recognizing the IRGC as a terrorist organization.
The ambassador also stated that today Israel and Ukraine are two countries with the greatest combat experience. And both countries have much to learn from each other.
