Israel has offered to provide Russian weapons to Ukraine, Ukrainian Ambassador Yevgeny Korniychuk announced in a Facebook post after a meeting with Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Sharen Haskel, News.bg reports.
According to the diplomat, these are weapons seized by the IDF army during operations in Lebanon or other conflict zones where Israel has faced its opponents.
The source of the weapons: IDF operations
The reports about the weapons originate from information published in November by the "Wall Street Journal". The Israeli military has discovered significant quantities of Russian weapons from the Hezbollah group during operations in southern Lebanon. According to the publication, some of these weapons, including "Kornet" anti-tank missiles, have arrived in Lebanon from Syria in recent years.
Initially, the Israeli authorities planned to destroy the ammunition during the clearance of the combat infrastructure, but subsequently decided to import most of the weapons to Israel.
Geopolitical perspective and risks
After the start of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Israel categorically condemned Moscow's actions, but avoided imposing sanctions and refused direct supplies of weapons to Ukraine. The reasons for this position include considerations of protecting its own stockpiles and operational needs.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed concerns that providing weapons to Ukraine could lead to them falling into the possession of Iran, which would pose a serious threat to Israel's security.
Common threats as a basis for cooperation
The initiative to transfer Russian weapons from Israel to Ukraine was described by the Ukrainian ambassador as a serious step towards recognizing the common threats facing both countries.
Ukraine expects a positive decision from Israel, which could lead to closer cooperation between the two nations in the context of complex global and regional challenges.