According to the former British defense minister, Israel’s decision not to support Ukraine has backfired, as Russia continues to fund Iran’s weapon production.
“I recommended to the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to assist Ukraine. Israel declined, stating they did not want to upset Russia. Consequently, Russia continues to spend over $1 billion on Iranian drones. Now ordinary Israelis must deal with the repercussions of Netanyahu’s decisions,” Wallace stated.
His remarks were echoed by John Foreman, a former UK military attaché in Moscow and Kyiv, who emphasized that he had conveyed similar arguments to the Israeli ambassador in Moscow, where Iranian agents were preparing attacks on his staff.
Context
- Since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Israel has provided humanitarian assistance to Ukraine but has refrained from supplying weapons. In September 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Israel had given nothing in terms of weaponry, claiming it was “zero”.
- In June 2023, Netanyahu explained that Israel has its own security interests and fears that weapons supplied to Ukraine may end up in the hands of Iran.
