The Israeli Ambassador to Ukraine, Michael Brodsky, has denied claims that Israel intends to transfer Russian-made weapons captured in Lebanon to Ukraine.
In an interview with Radio Svoboda, Brodsky clarified that such reports stem from miscommunication and that there is no ongoing initiative from Israel to facilitate such a transfer.
“I will probably disappoint you, but this is not an Israeli initiative. There seems to be some miscommunication here. Someone must have misunderstood something,” Brodsky said, referencing earlier reports.
The confusion appears to have originated from a private legislative proposal made by Sharren Haskel, now Deputy Foreign Minister of Israel, during her time as a member of the Knesset. The proposal suggested that Israel could transfer captured Russian-made weapons to Ukraine. However, according to Brodsky, this proposal did not advance in the Knesset and is no longer active.
Brodsky noted that Haskel’s role as Deputy Foreign Minister now precludes her from submitting private legislative initiatives. “What concerns the transfer of weapons is entirely under the jurisdiction of the military and the Ministry of Defense. No such decision has been made by Israel’s Ministry of Defense,” the ambassador emphasized.
These comments come after Ukrainian Ambassador to Israel Yevhen Korniychuk expressed gratitude to Haskel during a meeting last week. Korniychuk thanked her for the earlier proposal to transfer Russian-made weapons seized by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) in Lebanon.
The Ukrainian Embassy had described the initiative as a potential step toward recognizing shared threats faced by both nations.