- May 11, 2026
- 11:50 pm
- Brief news
The Ambassador of Ukraine to Israel, Yevgeny Korniychuk, stated that Israel is not yet utilizing Ukraine’s experience in combating strike drones, although such cooperation could help save the lives of Israeli soldiers.
He said this in an interview with Ynet on Monday, May 11, 2026. According to the diplomat, Kyiv does not understand why the Israeli leadership is not showing more interest in Ukraine’s developments in countering UAVs, especially in light of the IDF’s losses from drones.
Ukrainian experience against UAVs and Israeli security
Korniychuk emphasized that Ukraine and Israel are essentially facing the same threat, although they are fighting on different fronts and in different conditions.
According to him, both countries are dealing with forces linked to the same ‘axis of evil,’ and that is why the exchange of practical experience could be not a gesture of diplomacy, but a real security tool.
Over the years of full-scale war, Ukraine has accumulated vast experience in countering Russian and Iranian drones. This involves not only expensive air defense systems but also more flexible solutions: electronic warfare, mobile groups, rapid detection methods, tactical adaptation of units, and constant updating of defense methods.
For Israel, this is especially important against the backdrop of threats from Iran and its proxies. Drones have long ceased to be auxiliary weapons. They have become a cheap, massive, and extremely dangerous tool of war that can overload defense systems and pose a threat to soldiers on the front line.
What exactly Korniychuk said
The Ambassador of Ukraine noted that it is difficult for him to hear reports about IDF soldiers affected by drones because Ukrainians face a similar threat daily.
According to him, Ukrainian knowledge could help Israel ‘save more lives of Israeli soldiers,’ but he does not see sufficient interest or readiness from the Israeli leadership.
Korniychuk did not publicly speculate on the reasons for such an attitude. But his wording sounded quite harsh: Ukraine is ready to share its experience, and Israel, according to the Ukrainian side, is currently missing the opportunity to use this resource.
Why the drone topic became common for Ukraine and Israel
In recent years, drones have changed the very logic of war.
For Ukraine, this is a daily reality of the front: reconnaissance UAVs, FPV drones, strike devices, kamikaze drones, Iranian Shahed, Russian modifications, and a constant race between means of attack and defense.
For Israel, the topic became even more acute after attacks from Iran, Hezbollah, Houthis, and other groups using drones as relatively cheap weapons against expensive and complex defense infrastructure.
The main problem is simple: a drone can cost thousands of dollars, while an interceptor missile is hundreds and thousands of times more expensive. In such conditions, not only technological power is important, but also tactical rationality. Ukraine has gained unique experience in this direction — how to fight a massive threat not only with expensive means but also with a combination of cheap, fast, and adaptive solutions.
For the Israeli audience, this conversation sounds particularly sensitive. Israel is used to perceiving its security system as one of the most technological in the world. But the drone war shows: even a strong army must learn from those who have already gone through a specific type of threat on a daily basis.
In this context, НАновости — Israel News | Nikk.Agency considers Korniychuk’s statement not only as a diplomatic signal but also as a question of practical security: if Ukraine’s experience can reduce risks for Israeli soldiers, then refusing such a dialogue requires explanations.
Incident with Ukrainian grain and diplomatic background
Korniychuk also mentioned a recent incident related to Ukrainian grain. According to him, this story only highlighted existing problems in relations and showed that there is room for a more honest and substantive conversation between Kyiv and Jerusalem.
The ambassador stated that his duty is to seek grounds for mutual benefit and development. He believes that negotiations between Ukraine and Israel could go much better.
This phrase is important because it is not about symbolic statements of support, but about specific cooperation: technology, security, exchange of experience, political contact, coordination in the region.
Zelensky’s visit, invitation to Israel, and the issue of political contact
Separately, Korniychuk commented on the topic of a possible visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Israel.
According to the Ukrainian ambassador, Zelensky recently made several regional visits to the Middle East, where security and peace promotion issues were discussed. Korniychuk emphasized that he worked hard to establish direct political contact between the leadership of the two countries.
However, the diplomat added a phrase that actually became the main political emphasis of the interview: it is impossible to come to someone’s house without an invitation.
This was his response to statements by the Israeli ambassador to Ukraine, Michael Brodsky, who said that Zelensky was offered to come to Israel and meet, including with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“We did not receive an invitation — and that is a fact”
Korniychuk stated that the Ukrainian side did not receive an invitation. According to him, this is a fact.
At the same time, he did not deny the existence of professional contacts between the countries. On the contrary, the ambassador noted that such connections exist and are good. But, according to him, in wartime conditions, this is not enough.
This position sounds like a call to elevate relations to a higher level. Ukraine expects not only working channels but also political will. Israel, in turn, is in a complex regional situation where any movement towards Kyiv can be viewed through the prism of relations with Russia, Iran, the USA, and its own military priorities.
But the drone issue makes the discussion less diplomatic and more practical.
If Ukrainian experience can indeed help Israeli military personnel on the battlefield, then the topic goes beyond protocol. It concerns the lives of soldiers, the cost of interception, the speed of army adaptation, and the willingness to learn from allies, even if relations between states do not always develop smoothly.
Korniychuk concluded his signal quite directly: Ukraine and Israel have a deep common interest, and now it is important to help each other.
For Israel, this is not only a matter of supporting Ukraine. It is a matter of its own security in an era when cheap drones become weapons capable of changing the balance even against armies with the strongest technologies.