On January 25, Israel declined to provide the Hawk air defence system to Ukraine as requested by the US in the context of Washington’s desire to strengthen Kyiv’s military capabilities.
Because Ukraine still places a high priority on air defence, the Joe Biden administration has brought up the Hawk anti-aircraft missiles that Israel has on hand. The security level policy has not changed, an Israeli Defense Ministry spokesperson told Media. Every request is examined on its own merits. We don’t go into further depth than that.
Washington’s plea was turned down just one week after the US announced it had sent thousands of artillery shells from its arsenal in Israel to Ukraine and that it would do the same in South Korea.
Ukraine is having issues with the new government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the recently appointed Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen suggested during a phone call with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in early January that Israel was working to pursue policy changes regarding diplomatic relations with Russia. Since the Ukraine crisis erupted in February 2022, this is the first communication Lavrov has received from an Israeli foreign minister in office.
This month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu requested that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky veto a United Nations resolution requesting that the International Court of Justice render a ruling on Israel’s occupation of Palestinian areas. Mr. Zelensky waited and demanded assurances of Israeli support. Netanyahu, the prime minister, said he will take this into account.
The US declared on January 25 that it would give Ukraine 31 M1 Abrams tanks over the next months. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had announced earlier that day that Germany will send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. The US and Germany’s decision comes as Western nations are assisting Ukraine in getting ready for a potential springtime counterattack.
