- March 21, 2026
- 5:15 pm
- Israel
“Ukraine has many questions for Israel, and we ask them, but they are outside public discussion. I can only say that our special services work constantly without restrictions and breaks. I know that the current head of the President’s Office, Kyrylo Budanov, had a delegation from Israeli special services last week. Contacts occur at the level of ministers, special services, etc., but unfortunately, at the level of top officials, they are limited”.
Israel has entered a stage of war where previous schemes no longer work. According to Ukraine’s ambassador to Israel, Yevhen Korniychuk in an interview (Ukr.) with the Ukrainian “Glavcom“ on February 19, 2026, modernized Russian drones “Geran” are already flying towards Israel, and the war with Iran is increasingly changing both the Ukrainian agenda and the global order of priorities.
For the Israeli audience, it is important not only that Tehran is increasing pressure on the Jewish state. Equally important is that Ukraine, which has accumulated practical experience in combating Iranian drones over the years, believes that its knowledge and technologies could be useful to Israel right now. But Jerusalem’s political caution, according to Korniychuk, still hinders bringing this cooperation to the level required by the new reality.
Why the words of the Ukrainian ambassador are important right now
Israel’s war with Iran has gone beyond old boundaries
Korniychuk describes the current situation as a qualitatively different phase of the conflict. If earlier Iran acted mainly through proxy structures like Hamas and Hezbollah, now it is about direct and multi-level pressure on Israel. The southern direction, the northern border, direct Iranian strikes, as well as Tehran’s support from Moscow, form a single threat.
Against this backdrop, the ambassador emphasizes: the war in the Middle East concerns not only Israel. It already affects Ukraine. Ukrainian specialists in countering Iranian drones are working in the Persian Gulf countries, and after statements by Iranian representatives, Kyiv effectively heard a direct signal: Ukraine is now considered by Tehran as a “legitimate target.”
This is an important turn. Until recently, the connection between Russia’s war against Ukraine and the Iranian-Israeli confrontation seemed more like a political metaphor to many. Now, judging by the words of the Ukrainian diplomat, these two fronts are intertwined not at the level of comments, but at the level of security, technologies, and threats to diplomatic missions.
Contacts between Kyiv and Jerusalem exist, but not at the highest level
A separate nerve of the interview is the state of direct political dialogue between the leaders of the two countries. Korniychuk says that there has been no conversation between Volodymyr Zelensky and Benjamin Netanyahu for a long time, and the noise around the alleged interest of Israel in Ukrainian drones he explains as media distortion.
According to him, it could have been about cooperation in the field of security, but without specifying exactly about drones. Moreover, the very leak to the press, as he implies, could complicate the preparation of the conversation, as the Israeli side reacts painfully to such stories.
At the same time, the diplomat emphasizes: working contacts have not stopped. They go along the lines of ministers, special services, delegations, and specialized structures. That is, the channel is not closed. But for a country that is simultaneously at war with the Iranian axis and monitoring the Russian-Iranian military partnership, the lack of a full public dialogue of top officials already looks not just like a diplomatic roughness, but a symptom of deeper caution.
Where Ukraine and Israel can really be useful to each other
Israel is strong in missile defense, Ukraine in combating drones
One of the most substantive parts of the interview concerns military experience. Korniychuk reminds that Israeli Rada radars have been operating on the Ukrainian line of contact for several years and, according to him, have performed well. He also talks about plans for joint production and expanding cooperation.
But the main thesis is different. The ambassador effectively draws a clear division of competencies: Israel, he believes, has stronger experience in countering ballistic and cruise missiles, while Ukraine has accumulated more practical and possibly already more useful knowledge in combating drones.
For the Israeli reader, this sounds particularly sensitive. Within the country, there has been a perception of almost exemplary effectiveness of local air defense for decades. Korniychuk speaks more harshly: many Israeli systems were created for threats of a different type — primarily for Palestinian rockets of a makeshift or simplified class, not for massive combined strikes involving more complex means of destruction.
“How can Israel’s experience in countering missile attacks be useful to Ukraine? Or who should learn from whom?
If we consider that the Israeli ‘Iron Dome’ was designed only for rockets from Palestinian territories, then, undoubtedly, we have no less experience. But let me remind you that Israel signed its first military cooperation agreement with the United States in 1952. And today they are working on the fourth decade-long agreement with the USA. Israel has direct permissions to cooperate with American military companies that produce weapons. Therefore, undoubtedly, it is much easier for Israel, as all other countries need to first obtain permission from the US State Department before approaching these companies.
Of course, we must not forget that we are not fighting against Hezbollah or Hamas, but against a nuclear superpower with corresponding weapons and power. But in matters of countering ballistic and cruise missiles, Israel’s experience is certainly better, as they have the United States behind them. However, I am confident that in matters of countering drones, our experience is already the best. And this is precisely the basis for cooperation.
Israel, in principle, is interested in our drone technologies, but, you know, Israelis have a certain sense of superiority. About a year ago, an Iranian ‘Shahed’ launched from Yemen flew to a military base 60 km north of Tel Aviv. At that time, the military was dining in an unprotected canteen — as a result, four people died and another 70 were injured. A leading journalist from one of the most influential TV channels in Israel called me and said: “You are our Moses. You warned us that we need to cooperate.” I said: “I don’t want to be Moses, but I want us to cooperate.”
And now modernized Russian drones ‘Geran’ with artificial intelligence inside are flying to Israel, and they are much faster and more accurate.
It is known that Iran has supplied Russia with ballistic missiles worth more than $4 billion over the past four years. And Russia, during this war in the Middle East, signed an agreement to supply Iran with modern multiple launch rocket systems worth half a billion dollars and is gradually fulfilling it“.
“Gerans” over Israel — this is no longer someone else’s war
The most sharp and politically charged statement by Korniychuk is the words that modernized Russian “Gerans” with elements of artificial intelligence, faster and more accurate than previous versions, are now flying to Israel.
It is here that the Ukrainian optics especially conflict with Israeli caution. Kyiv has long seen Russian-Iranian cooperation as a direct threat not only to Ukraine but to the entire region. In this logic, the silent desire not to irritate Moscow already looks not like the pragmatism of a small country, but a belated tactic that can cost too much.
In the middle of this discussion arises the very nerve that Nikk.Agency understands well — Israel News | Nikk.Agency: for Israel, the Russian-Iranian link is ceasing to be an external topic. When drones, tested on Ukrainian cities, come to the Middle East, there are fewer and fewer conditional boundaries between the two wars.
At the same time, Korniychuk does not hide: Israel is interested in Ukrainian drone technologies. But, in his assessment, it is hindered not only by politics but also by a psychological factor — the habit of looking down on partners. This is perhaps one of the most uncomfortable but also the most honest fragments of the interview.
Patriot for Ukraine and lessons of early warning
The ambassador also reminds of the story with Patriot systems, which were on combat duty in Israel for a long time, after which they were withdrawn by the Americans, repaired, and transferred to Ukraine. For Kyiv, this is, according to him, an important result.
“You said that the ‘Iron Dome’ was not designed for such strikes as Iran delivers. How do you generally assess the work of the legendary Israeli air defense, which Ukraine was constantly cited as an example?
Israel is more about marketing. Therefore, the magnificent Israeli air defense was designed specifically for homemade Palestinian rockets. It’s hard for me to say how it copes now, but I think the level of damage, especially ballistics, is roughly the same as in Ukraine.
In fact, I am happy that thanks to our work, at least three Patriot systems, which were on combat duty in Israel for more than 20 years, are now in Ukraine. The Americans took them, repaired them, and gave them to us“.
Separately, he compares early warning systems. Here, Israel, according to the diplomat, really has an advantage: alerts are shorter not because there are fewer threats, but because the area of impact is more accurately predicted. For Israelis, this is a familiar part of life, for Ukrainians — still an unattainable standard in full.
Korniychuk directly says that Ukraine should learn this. But he also adds an unpleasant detail for Kyiv: even the solutions that Israel transferred were not always accepted and implemented in Ukraine without disputes. That is, the problem, as he implies, is not only in the level of Israeli assistance but also in the quality of Ukrainian adaptation of these tools.
What this war is already changing for Ukraine, Israel, and the entire region
Under threat — Ukrainian diplomatic missions and the global focus on Ukraine
After Iranian statements that Ukraine has become a legitimate target, Kyiv has increased attention to the security of its missions. Korniychuk talks about threats to diplomatic objects not only in Israel but also in the Persian Gulf countries and Jordan. Reception of citizens is conducted in a reduced mode, although there is no complete shutdown of work.
For Israel, this is also an important marker. If Iran begins to interpret the circle of opponents more broadly and link Ukrainian assistance to regional countries with direct hostility, it means that the Middle Eastern war continues to expand not only geographically but also politically. It draws in new states, new missions, new risk zones.
Another key conclusion of the ambassador concerns the global agenda. In his assessment, the war in the Middle East has already pushed Ukraine and the Russian-Ukrainian war to the background. The reason is clear: for the world economy, this region is more critical due to oil, logistics, and energy risks.
This is an unpleasant but realistic assessment. For Israel, it means that its war has once again become the central plot for the world. For Ukraine — that the attention of allies will have to be maintained in conditions of much tougher competition of crises.
Why Israel still avoids a hard line against Moscow
One of the most controversial thoughts of the interview is the explanation of Israeli caution towards Russia. Korniychuk does not hide his disappointment, but at the same time describes the logic of the Israelis without illusions: a small country, complex geography, the need to maintain balance and avoid steps that could sharply expand the list of threats.
“Or is the friendly attitude of Israel towards Russia, which you were previously unpleasantly surprised by, gradually fading with the start of the war with Iran?
Let me say this — Israelis must maintain balance. It is still a small country the size of the Kyiv region. Therefore, they will continue to be cautious and will not unequivocally take our side. But I am still grateful to the Israeli colleagues for what they do within their capabilities“.
So it’s not about taking our side. It’s just that Russian ‘Gerans’ are now flying to Israel, and Israeli officials still pretend that everything is fine with Moscow?
Yes, they are being bombed, but they still cannot make any harsh moves towards Russia“
In other words, even when Russian-origin and modernized ‘Gerans’ are flying to Israel, according to the Ukrainian diplomat, Jerusalem is still not ready for a hard anti-Russian turn. From Kyiv’s point of view, this looks like a dangerous understatement. From the point of view of part of the Israeli establishment — as a forced caution.
But this construction is becoming less and less stable. The closer Moscow and Tehran exchange technologies, weapons, and political cover, the harder it is for Israel to maintain the old formula, in which Russia is a separate track, and Iran is a separate threat.
The new axis has already formed
In Korniychuk’s assessment, the current configuration of the world looks extremely rigid: Russia, Iran, and North Korea form a formed axis, and China in one form or another helps this construction to hold. For Ukraine’s supporters, this is already an axiom. For the Israeli audience, it is more of a reminder that the regional war has long ceased to be only regional.
The ambassador also draws attention to the discrepancies between the US and Israel in understanding the goals of the war against Iran. For Israel, it is about an existential threat. For Washington — including control over energy and global oil flows. This gap is important because it determines the limits of American involvement and the limits of Israeli freedom of action.
From the Ukrainian point of view, successful pressure on Iran would be beneficial to the whole world. Lower oil prices would mean fewer financial opportunities for Russia to continue the war. For the Israeli reader, this is another reason to look at the Ukrainian front not as a separate drama of Eastern Europe, but as part of the overall strategic picture.
What’s next
The interview also contains more private details — about the possible arrival of a new Israeli ambassador to Ukraine in August, about Oleksii Reznikov’s visit, about the need for a wider circle of experienced advisors in Ukrainian foreign policy, according to Korniychuk. But the main line of the text is not in personnel issues.
The essence is different: Ukraine is trying to convince Israel that the experience of war with Iranian drones is no longer a Ukrainian specificity, but an Israeli necessity. And the longer Jerusalem maintains a cautious distance in relations with Moscow, the more painful the moment may be when Russian-Iranian cooperation finally ceases to be a theory for it.
Korniychuk formulates this in his own way, diplomatically, but quite clearly. Israel and Ukraine have long been not just observing the same threats. They are facing different parts of the same war.
Other
“Recently, the Ukrainian embassy in Israel found itself at the center of a rather loud but exotic precedent. The Supreme Court upheld the first establishment of factual marital relations between two men in Ukraine — the first secretary of the embassy, Zoryan Kys, and his partner Timur Levchuk. Now Levchuk will theoretically have the right to go abroad as a family member of a diplomat. How do you feel about such a situation, which many perceived with hostility, not even because of a negative attitude towards the LGBT issue, but as a way to evade mobilization?
I do not comment on the personal lives of my employees. The first secretary of the embassy is a professional diplomat. He works with the pro-Ukrainian community in Israel, consisting of Israelis supporting Ukraine, and Ukrainians permanently residing in Israel and their families. Of course, this situation is a legal precedent, we will monitor it, but I try to remain neutral“.