“We have been talking to the Israelis for at least the last year about a possible intermediary role for Israel,” Ambassador Yevgen Korniychuk told Reuters. “Our leadership believes that Israel is the only democratic state that has excellent relations with both countries.”
“Bennett reiterated his hope for a speedy end to the fighting, and said that he stands by the people of Ukraine in these difficult days,” the statement said, adding that the prime minister offered Kyiv humanitarian aid.
Korniychuk said Friday’s phone conversation between the leaders was the fifth time that Zelenskiy had asked Bennett for Israeli mediation, and that he had previously asked former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli President Isaac Herzog.
Reached by Reuters, a diplomat at Russia’s embassy to Israel declined comment, saying he was not authorised to speak to the media.
While calling for a peaceful solution in Ukraine, Israel has been cautious about openly criticising Russia, a major player in the conflict in neighbouring Syria. It has offered shelter to members of Ukraine’s Jewish community caught up in the fighting.
The Israeli ambassador in Moscow was summoned for talks, the Russian embassy in Israel said on Friday.
“The hope was expressed that Israel would treat with due understanding the reasons that prompted the Russian leadership to decide to conduct a special military operation to protect civilians in Donbass, demilitarize and denazify Ukraine,” the embassy said.
Ukraine-Russia a look at the timeline of the crisis: Dzvinka Kachur