Ukraine’s envoy criticizes new Israeli FM for calling Russia’s Lavrov

Ukraine’s Ambassador to Israel Yevgen Korniychuk tells The Times of Israel that Foreign Minister Eli Cohen’s call today with Sergey Lavrov, Russia’s top diplomat, represents a change in Israeli policy.

“Israel’s minister of foreign affairs hasn’t spoken to Lavrov since the war started,” he says, indicating that Kyiv is displeased that Cohen went ahead with the conversation.

As foreign minister, Yair Lapid did not speak with Lavrov.

An Israeli official told The Times of Israel shortly after the Cohen-Lavrov conversation that “there is no change in Israel’s policy.”

Korniychuk adds that Israel’s position on the Russian invasion is “unclear.”

“Unfortunately, we are getting no condemnation of the mass shelling of our civilians in recent months. Israel is unique in terms of our partners. It remains silent,” he says.

Ukraine’s envoy emphasizes that neither Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba nor Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have asked to speak with Cohen.