Israeli FM visits Kyiv as pressure mounts over military aid

By ILAN BEN ZION
Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Israel’s foreign minister is in Kyiv for the first public visit to Ukraine’s capital by a senior Israeli official since Russia’s invasion last year. But there are no signs that Israel is preparing to significantly increase its modest support for Ukraine or meet Ukrainian requests for weapons. Foreign Minister Eli Cohen’s visit came just before the first anniversary of Russian’s invasion of Ukraine. Israel has walked a tightrope during the war between assisting Ukraine and avoiding friction with Russia, with which it has strategic regional interests. Unlike other Western nations, Israel has resisted Ukrainian requests for military assistance but has provided humanitarian aid, including a field hospital, and promised defense air-raid warning systems.