Israel’s Netanyahu to mull supplying air defense systems to Kyiv: Ukraine's president

By Faruk Zorlu

ANKARA (AA) - Incoming Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to look into supplying air defense systems to Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters, Zelenskyy said Netanyahu assured him that he would consider the request and will "sort this issue out immediately," according to Ukrainian media.

In a phone call with Netanyahu, Zelenskyy underlined that Kyiv does not need Israeli weapons to attack enemies but seeks air defense systems to protect Ukrainians from Russian missiles.

Ukraine's president did not say when the phone call was made.

Kyiv has repeatedly asked for the systems, but Israel has insistently refused to sell them to Ukraine.

Last month before Israel’s general elections, however, Netanyahu pledged to consider supplying weapons to Ukraine if he was elected prime minister.

Netanyahu, a former prime minister, and his right-wing bloc won 64 seats in Israel’s 120-seat Knesset, or parliament, securing him an outright majority to form the government.