Israeli Foreign Minister Calls Russia Key Player in Region

BERLIN (Sputnik) - Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said on Tuesday, commenting on a journalist's remark that the country was vague about Russia's actions in Ukraine, that Israel considered Moscow to be a key player in the region.

According to Cohen, some 600,000 Jewish men and women live in Russia. Russia is also a key actor in the region for Israel, so the country has to take this into account while also supporting Ukraine, the minister said during a joint press conference with his German counterpart, Annalena Baerbock, in Berlin, when asked why Israel refrained from using clear words in its assessments of Russia's actions and limited itself to just expressing solidarity with Kiev.

The top Israeli diplomat also said that Israel had expressed solidarity with Kiev and signed a UN resolution on the principles underlying a comprehensive, just, and sustainable peace in Ukraine.

Western countries ramped up their military support for Ukraine after Russia launched a special military operation there on February 24, 2022. However, on October 19, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz said that Israel would not supply Ukraine with weapons for a number of operational reasons. At the same time, the minister noted that his country would continue to provide humanitarian assistance to Kiev.

In late January, Israeli Ambassador to Germany Ron Prosor said that Israel had been assisting Ukraine "behind the scenes" and to a "much greater" extent than publicly revealed.