Ukraine, Israel discuss "Iranian threat", ongoing conflicts

Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister has arrived in Israel for an official state visit.

Taras Kachka was welcomed by Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar upon his arrival, Caliber.Az reports, citing Israeli news.

The Israeli ministry released a statement following the two officials' meeting, recalling the visit to be the first by a high-ranking Ukrainian representative to Israel” since the outbreak of hostilities in Ukraine in 2022.

Kachka, who oversees Ukraine's European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, arrived in Israel in the position as Co-Chair of the Joint Ukrainian-Israeli Economic Commission, which is led on the Israeli side by Ukrainian-born Knesset Member Zeev Elkin.

The visit follows Sa’ar’s trip to Kyiv in July, the ministry noted.

Sa’ar and Kachka held a bilateral meeting, followed by an expanded discussion with the participation of their delegations. During the talks, the two sides discussed the situation in the conflict zone as well as “the diplomatic contacts surrounding it.”

They also addressed bilateral relations between Israel and Ukraine, including the creation of a joint platform for dialogue “on the issue of the Iranian threat.”

Sa’ar stressed “the importance and necessity of Ukraine recognizing Hamas and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as terrorist organizations,” the statement said.

“Minister Sa’ar welcomed the visit and noted that Israel is aware of the difficult times Ukraine is going through and the suffering of the Ukrainian people,” the Israeli foreign ministry added.

By Nazrin Sadigova