Israel is supporting Ukraine in war, Estonia’s president says during Israel visit

Israel is doing more to support Ukraine than it gets credit for, Estonian President Alar Karis told The Times of Israel.

“Actually, it’s doing. Sometimes, you can’t trust what’s in headlines,” said Karis, speaking from the Ben Gurion Airport on Thursday evening, after a two-day trip to Israel.

Israel condemned Russia’s 2022 invasion and provided limited support to Ukraine, including humanitarian aid and an aerial warning system, but not weaponry. Earlier this year, the Financial Times reported that the United States, Israel, and Ukraine were in talks to provide Kyiv with up to eight Patriot missile air defense systems currently owned and used by Israel.

Overall, Jerusalem produced a relatively restrained response to the invasion, due to Russia’s widespread military presence at the time in Syria, Israel’s northern and bellicose neighbor, and the need to balance security interests at home and policy abroad, while maintaining relations with both Moscow and Kyiv.

Still, ties are warm between the countries. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar met his Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha in Munich over the weekend and came away with an invitation to Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with President Isaac Herzog and spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last month.