Zelensky and Gideon Saar meet in Kyiv: Recognize the IRGC as terrorists, SnapBack against Iran and the memory of the Holocaust

On July 23, 2025, the President of Ukraine met with the Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar. In focus — recognition of the IRGC as terrorists, SnapBack sanctions against Iran, a report on Hamas crimes and respect for the memory of the Holocaust against the background of the already recorded presence of Iranian IRGC military personnel in Ukraine.

Following the conversation, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his official account:

“I held a meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Israel, Gideon Sa’ar. Thank you for supporting Ukraine and Ukrainians, for this visit. We talked about our cooperation, primarily economic and defense, about strengthening Ukrainian air defense and the possibilities for joint weapons production.

We are grateful to Israel for the decision to provide assistance in ensuring water supply systems for the southern regions. This is very important. We also hope for support of efforts for humanitarian demining of contaminated territories. We discussed this during the meeting.

Thank you for your willingness to help.”

The Embassy of Israel in Ukraine also told what the conversation was about.

Recognition of the IRGC: a request backed by a common enemy

Gideon Sa’ar appealed to Volodymyr Zelenskyy with a specific request: to lead the process of the Verkhovna Rada adopting a decision to recognize the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization. Israel calls things by their proper names and expects the same from Ukraine — after all, it is a structure that provides Tehran with a power lever throughout the region.

SnapBack: the European “troika” must push the button

Sa’ar separately emphasized: Germany, France and the United Kingdom must immediately activate the SnapBack mechanism and restore sanctions against Iran. For Kyiv this is not theory — Iranian drones have already struck, and are striking, Ukrainian cities. Strengthening sanctions means a blow to those who supply Moscow with weapons.

The “Dina” report: documented Hamas crimes

The minister handed Zelenskyy the “Dina” project report on Hamas crimes related to rape and sexual violence. Israel brings not only emotions but also facts to the negotiating table. These materials are needed so that international partners respond to terror not with words of sympathy, but with legal actions.

Babi Yar and the memory of the Holocaust: shared responsibility

Sa’ar previously visited Babi Yar and thanked the Ukrainian president for his attention to the topic of the Holocaust. The foreign ministers of the two countries also jointly visited the memorial complex. Memory is not about the past for the sake of the past; it builds trust and a language by which Israel and Ukraine understand each other.

Background: Iranian military in Ukraine — when the IRGC becomes a personal issue for Kyiv

On October 21, 2022, the White House stated: Iranian military personnel are in Crimea and are helping Russia carry out drone strikes on civilian infrastructure.

Already on November 24, Ukrainian officials reported the killing of ten Iranians and warned: any further Iranian military presence in Ukraine will be a target. Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War assessed that it is most likely IRGC servicemen or specialists associated with it — it is this corps that is responsible for operating Iranian drones.

All this makes Israel’s request to recognize the IRGC as terrorists for Ukraine not a gesture of courtesy, but a matter of its own security.

Attempts to recognize the IRGC in Ukraine: a path without a final point

• Autumn 2022: a draft resolution appears in the Rada on recognizing Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism. An important step, but not a pinpoint one regarding the IRGC.
• May 2023: Ukraine introduces 50-year sectoral sanctions against Iran. This is tough, however the status of the IRGC itself remains unformalized.
• Summer 2023: deputies and experts publicly raise the topic of the need to recognize the IRGC as a terrorist organization and to appeal to the world with the same demand. There is no final vote.

This is where Sa’ar’s request to “lead the process” comes into play: to bring the matter to a decision.

NAnews – News of Israel monitors such events because it is clearly visible there: political formulations are directly connected with the security and memory of the two peoples.

What else Sa’ar did in Kyiv on July 22–23, 2025:

• Met with the Jewish community of the capital and the Chief Rabbi of Ukraine, Moshe Reuven Asman.
• Discussed with Ukrainian representatives security, cybersphere, humanitarian and cultural projects.
• A growth of bilateral trade of about 65% was noted — almost up to one billion dollars.
• An Iranian Shahed‑136 drone was shown at the entrance to the Ukrainian MFA as a symbol of the threat.
• There was a meeting with Artem Buryk, who lost his family after an Iranian strike on Bat Yam.
• Flowers were laid at the Wall of Memory of the Fallen Defenders of Ukraine and at the Memorial to the Victims of the Holodomor.

NAnews – News of Israel emphasizes: when Israel and Ukraine talk about sanctions and memory, behind these words there are concrete people and decisions, and not only official press releases.

July 23, 2025 in Kyiv — this is not about formalities.

It is about: the request to recognize the IRGC as terrorists; the demand to activate SnapBack; the transfer of the “Dina” report on Hamas crimes; the shared memory of the Holocaust; and a reminder that Iranian military were already involved in the war against Ukraine.

A common front against terror and respect for history — that is what unites Kyiv and Jerusalem today.