Kyiv, Jerusalem Deny Report That Israel’s Bennett Told Zelenskyy To Cave

Ukrainian adviser Mykhailo Podolyak has denied reports published by Israel’s Walla news site, The Jerusalem Post, and the US news site Axios suggesting that Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett had advised Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky to give in to Russian demands. Podolyak wrote on Twitter that Israel “just as other conditional intermediary countries, does NOT offer Ukraine to agree to any demands of the Russian Federation. This is impossible for military & political reasons. On the contrary, Israel urges Russia to assess the events more adequately.” A senior Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, also denied the report, calling it “patently false.” The official said that “at no point did Prime Minister Bennett advise President Zelenskyy to take a deal from [Russian President Vladimir] Putin – because no such deal was offered to Israel for us to be able to do so.” The official added: “Bennett has at no point told Zelenskyy how to act, nor does he have any intention to.” Bennett has held talks with Putin and spoken to Zelenskyy by phone efforts to try to end the Russo- Ukrainian War. At a news briefing on Saturday, Zelenskyy welcomed Israeli efforts to mediate in the conflict and said talks between the sides could be held in Jerusalem.