Foreign Minister Yair Lapid is continuing to urge Israelis to leave Ukraine immediately, amid a buildup toward war as Russia appears threatened to invade the NATO ally.
“Better safe than sorry,” Lapid says in English during a meeting in the Knesset with his Yesh Atid faction.
He says that after a “long” conversation with British counterpart Liz Truss, he’s not sure diplomatic efforts will succeed: “There’s a real possibility for war,” he says.
“If war breaks out it will a lot harder to get on planes,” he says. “It will be still be relatively easy for the next day or two.”
Russian tanks roll on the field during military drills in Leningrad region, Russia, February 14, 2022. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)
He says Israel is prepared to airlift any citizen and any Ukrainian Jews who want, and is considering opening a second diplomatic mission to Lviv, far west of where the fighting is expected, to aid the evacuation effort.
Israelis in Ukraine, many of whom are dual citizens, have thus far largely opted to stay put.
He says a sense of calm in Kyiv is being fueled by “false impressions.”
“There’s a buildup of forces in the east of the country, there’s a buildup on the Belarus border. If the situation deteriorates, it will be fast,” he warns.
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Monday, February 14, 2022
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