Ukrainian official accuses Israeli PM of advising Ukraine's President to

Kyiv/Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett advised the Ukrainian President, ‘If I were in your place, I would have accepted the Russian proposal in the interest of the safety of the Ukrainian population.’ A Ukrainian official gave this information to the Israeli media. However, Israel has denied the report. Israeli Prime Minister’s office said that Israel was trying to cease a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.

Four days ago, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett visited Russia and met President Vladimir Putin. He held a telephonic talk with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky three times on his way back. The United States had appealed to Israel to provide military assistance to Ukraine against Russia. Israel had flatly refused to comply.

Moreover, Israel shares good cooperation with Russia as well as Ukraine. Therefore, ignoring the international pressure, Israel had adopted a neutral stand denying to provide military assistance to Ukraine. In this scenario, the Israeli Prime Minister had held telephonic talks with the Ukrainian President after meeting the Russian President. The Israeli initiative to work out a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine was significant. But a Ukrainian official said while speaking to the Israeli media that the Israeli Prime Minister advised the Ukrainian President to surrender to Russia. The officer said that the Zelensky government would not surrender in front of Russia.

The Russian demands are that Ukraine should accept the Russian claim on Crimea, accept Donetsk and Luhansk as independent countries and forget about joining NATO. Reports have also been received that Israel is willing to convene a meeting between Russian and Ukrainian leaders in Jerusalem. But Ukraine refused the Israeli proposal.

Meanwhile, the United States and NATO are demanding that Israel give up its neutral stand. Reports of some US leaders criticising Israel also have been published. Whereas even Ukraine had lashed out at Israel for denying military assistance. But the Biden administration had dismissed all the Israeli objections and participated in the Iran nuclear deal negotiations. Israel is repaying the United States with this denial to assist with the Ukraine issue. At the same time, Russia has stalled the nuclear deal being negotiated by the western countries with Iran. This works in favour of Israel. Therefore, Russian and Israeli interests seem to be common. The United States intends to increase the fuel supply on the international level by signing the nuclear deal with Iran.

Once the nuclear deal is signed, sanctions imposed against Iran will be lifted, and this country’s fuel will come into the international market. The Biden administration plans that the fuel rates which have flared up given the Russia-Ukraine war will settle down and the United States will be free from the pressures. Besides, Russia, Israel, and certain Middle Eastern countries are preparing to ensure that the US plan does not realise. The Middle Eastern countries like Israel, Saudi and United Arab Emirates, who are opposed to Iran, seem to be standing with Russia for this purpose.