Daijiworld Media Network – Israel

Israel, Jul 24: In a move signalling growing strategic cooperation, Israel and Ukraine on Wednesday announced plans to initiate formal talks aimed at countering the "threat" posed by Iran, a known ally of Russia.

The announcement was made during a joint press conference in Kyiv addressed by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga and visiting Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, the most senior Israeli official to visit Ukraine since 2023.

Sybiga termed Iran an "existential threat" to global security and highlighted common concerns between Ukraine and Israel. "Our countries face common security challenges. Today we have decided to launch a separate dialogue on the Iranian threat," he said.

Israel has consistently accused Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran denies. Ukraine, meanwhile, has been regularly targeted by Iranian-designed drones deployed by Russian forces in the ongoing conflict.

Saar echoed Ukraine’s concerns, stating that any global effort to restrict Tehran’s access to weapons and sensitive technology was directly linked to European and Ukrainian security. “I thank President Volodymyr Zelensky and the Ukrainian government for its position that Iran must not have nuclear weapons,” Saar said.

Though Kyiv has previously expressed dissatisfaction over Israel’s neutral stance on the Russia-Ukraine war, the two nations appear to be finding common ground in their opposition to Iran’s expanding military influence.

Tensions with Iran escalated last month after Israel launched a surprise bombing campaign targeting Iran’s military and nuclear facilities — an action that received public backing from Kyiv.

With shared concerns over Iran’s role in regional and global conflicts, the newly announced dialogue between Israel and Ukraine is expected to pave the way for deeper cooperation in security, intelligence, and defense strategy.