Iran is ‘common enemy’ of Ukraine and Israel, Zelenskyy tells Israeli FM

Iran is the “common enemy” of Ukraine and Israel, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday during a meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen in Kyiv on Thursday, according to Israeli media.

“We talked about deepening cooperation with Ukraine in the face of the Iranian threat in the international arena,” the Jerusalem Post quoted Cohen as telling Israeli reporters in Kyiv.

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“Iran’s evil face was revealed in Ukraine,” he added.

During the meeting with Cohen, Zelenskyy reportedly said that Iran was the “common enemy” of Ukraine and Israel.

Iran has been accused by Ukraine and Western countries of supplying drones to Russia, which Moscow has used to carry out attacks on Ukraine’s infrastructure.

Cohen said his country was “committed to the sovereignty” of Ukraine in what was the first visit by an Israeli minister to the war-torn country since the Russian invasion began nearly a year ago.

“Israel stands firmly in solidarity with the people of Ukraine and remains committed to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine,” Cohen said during a press conference with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba.

But he did not make any announcements about providing the weapons that Ukraine has been requesting for months.

Instead, Cohen pledged support for Israeli projects in healthcare and civilian infrastructures in Ukraine and stated that Israel would back Ukraine’s peace initiative at the United Nations next week.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine last February, Israel has maintained a cautious approach and sought to maintain neutrality between the warring sides.

It has sent humanitarian aid to Ukraine but has not supplied weapons.

However, in an interview with CNN last February, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated that Israel was considering providing military aid to Ukraine, prompting a warning from Moscow that further supplies of weapons to Ukraine would lead to an escalation of the conflict.

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