Israeli envoy to Ukraine summoned for reprimand by Kyiv

Israel’s Ambassador to Ukraine Michael Brodsky is summoned for a reprimand at the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry in Kyiv.

The meeting just ended, says Foreign Ministry spokesman Lior Haiat. The reprimand centers on a conversation that Foreign Ministry director-general Alon Ushpiz had with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Michael Bogdanov, President Vladimir Putin’s envoy to the Middle East.

Ushpiz told Bogdanov that Israel is committed to the security of its citizens living in Ukraine, and asked Russia to help Israel rescue them in the event of war and the potential occupation of Ukrainian territories by the Russians.

Brodsky tells Ukrainian diplomats in the meeting that Ushpiz sought to relay two messages in his phone conversation with Bogdanov: de-escalation, and concern over the welfare of Israeli representatives and diplomats.

Israel has been open about its requests to neighboring countries to allow a land evacuation of Jewish Ukrainians. On Sunday, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid thanked Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Moldova for their willingness to open their borders should the need arise.