In an interview with i24NEWS, Ukrainian Presidential Advisor Mykhailo Podolyak said Israel’s Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu “can be an effective mediator” between the warring parties of Russia and Ukraine.
“I have no doubt that Netanyahu can be an effective mediator since he understands precisely what modern wars are and what is the essence of mediation under these conditions,” Podolyak said.
He claimed, however, that “Russia does not want there to be a real negotiation,” and that the invading country only wants Kyiv to surrender “under the name of ‘negotiations’.”
“Russia only wants to negotiate the keep the status quo, and most recently, to agree on a ceasefire to upgrade its army, which turned out to not really know how to fight,” Podolyak told i24NEWS, saying the Israeli leader could be effective in mediating when the time is right for peace talks.
Podolyak called the proposal “a cynical trap and an element of propaganda.”
“Negotiations will only be at the end of the war. But when will that be? There are very simple conditions – an immediate ceasefire” and “the withdrawal of Russian forces. We must get back our sovereignty and territorial integrity. After that, we will start the negotiations with the participation of mediators.”
‘You can talk less, but take the right side’
Earlier this week, Israel’s Foreign Minister Eli Cohen told Israeli officials during his swearing-in ceremony that the Jewish state’s new government would “talk less” about the war but continue humanitarian aid.
“We accept, with respect, the positions of different countries. We need to talk a lot about this kind of war, because it is a genocidal war,” Podolyak said, in response to Cohen’s remarks.
“You can talk less, but the main thing is to take the right side, because there is a reason why Russia is a pariah state today. It was Russia that started the war on its own initiative and without provocation,” he continued.
“Israel, which is constantly in a state of war from various entities, has the basic principles of protecting its territory, its right, and its freedom. Therefore, it would be desirable to focus on supplying aid to Ukraine.”
Israel-Russia ties
On ties between Russia and Israel, Podolyak said he found it strange to “expect a warming of relations” between the two states.
Also earlier this week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called his Israeli counterpart Cohen to congratulate him on his inauguration, before discussing a series of bilateral and regional issues. According to a statement, Cohen referred extensively to the Jewish community in Russia and ex-Soviet expatriates in Israel and their importance to relations between the countries.
“ It sounds strange to me from the historical point of view and the point of view of the country’s development in the future, including the State of Israel, it is not desirable for the country to have relations with Russia with its current regime,” Podolyak said.
Iranian drones
Asked about Iran supplying drones to Russia to use in its invasion, Podolyak said it seemed to him that “the civilized part of humanity relies a lot on Ukraine, that it will bring everyone back to reality, including Iran.”
“We would very much like to do that, but it seems to me that when it concerns Iran, the international community should let Iran clearly understand that sanctions will be continued, that sanctions will be intensified.”
In early November of last year, Iran acknowledged supplying Russia with drones but continues to deny they are for military purposes. But Ukraine said earlier this week that it had downed 39 Iran-made kamikaze drones in a Russian attack that targeted the capital city of Kyiv, and Zelensky subsequently claimed that Moscow was planning yet another Iranian drone campaign to “exhaust” his military.
“If Iran violates the sanctions and builds up industrial production, including the production of drones, decisions with consequences should be made in the UN Security Council, which unfortunately is impossible today because Russia has the right of veto,” Podolyak said.
“We learned to fight these drones. But when hundreds and thousands of drones are used against you, and each such drone carries [88 pounds] of explosive material… it is a very exhausting process, and it is very exhausting for our defensive ability.” –i24 News
