Russia warned Israel on Wednesday, Feb. 1, against any possible arms deliveries to Ukraine, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would “examine this issue.”
“When it comes to arms deliveries (to Ukraine), we do not classify countries according to geography. All countries that deliver weapons must understand that we will consider (these weapons) as legitimate targets for our armed forces,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zaharova said of the possibility of Israeli deliveries.
In an interview with CNN, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that his country was considering providing military aid to Ukraine while also declaring its willingness to mediate in the conflict between Kyiv and Moscow.
Until now, Netanyahu had refrained from taking a firm position on Ukraine’s side, trying to play down Russia, which controls Syria’s airspace and usually monitors Israeli state operations against Iran on Syrian soil.
He confirmed that the United States had transferred to Ukraine artillery ammunition that had previously been stockpiled in Israel and suggested that the Israeli state was acting to prevent weapons production for Russia in Iran.
Ukrainian and Western officials accuse Iran of supplying drones to Russia for the invasion of Ukraine, accusations that Tehran denies, according to AFP.
