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Israel’s FM Meets With Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy in Kyiv
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the presidential compound in Kyiv on Feb. 16, 2023. (Shlomi Amselem/GPO)

Israel’s FM Meets With Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy in Kyiv

Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen met with Ukrainian President Voldymyr Zelenskyy during a one-day visit to Kyiv. The two leaders talked about deepening cooperation against Iran in the international arena, Cohen said on Thursday after the meeting, adding that:  “Iran’s evil face was revealed in Ukraine.” Zelenskyy reportedly said during the meeting that Iran is Israel and Ukraine’s “common enemy.”

Cohen reportedly offered Ukraine a $200 million loan guarantee for health care and civilian infrastructure, and promised to develop a “smart early warning system” to warn civilians of incoming rocket attacks  that is expected to be ready in 3-6 months. Next week will mark one-year since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Cohen also agreed to support Zelenskyy’s peace plan when it is voted on in the United Nations General Assembly next week.

Israel has provided humanitarian aid to Ukraine since the outbreak of the conflict, and reportedly also has provided some intelligence information. Cohen’s visit comes as Ukraine continues to press Israel for defensive weapons, including Iron Dome missile defense systems.

Cohen arrived in Kyiv on Thursday morning, becoming the first high-level Israeli official to visit Ukraine since Russia launched its war on its neighbor nearly a year ago.

In a statement following the meeting, Zelenskyy said that he is “grateful” for the humanitarian aid that Israel has provided. “We discussed the country’s participation in post-war reconstruction. Ukraine could use Israel’s experience in demining,” Zelenskyy also said. The Ukrainian president reportedly asked Israel to treat more wounded Ukrainians and to provide another 15,000 Ukrainians with work permits in Israel.

During his visit, Cohen met with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba and members of the Jewish community. He started his day with a visit to the Kyiv suburb of Bucha and to Babyn Yar, where Nazis and their Ukrainian collaborators murdered over 30,000 Jews by shooting them into a ravine in September 1941. He arrived in Ukraine via Poland from a one-day visit to Turkey.

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