According to the Haaretz newspaper, in total, Israel has spent "several million dollars" for these purposesTEL AVIV, November 17.
/tass/. Israel, under pressure from the United States, agreed to finance the supply of "strategic materials" to Ukraine in the amount of millions of dollars. This statement was made on Thursday by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.
According to European diplomatic sources of the publication, representatives of the United States several weeks ago appealed to the Israeli authorities with an urgent request to join the efforts of NATO countries and the West to assist Ukraine.
The Washington administration wanted Israel to supply Kiev with air defense systems, Haaretz notes, although the Israeli authorities have repeatedly officially rejected this possibility, citing national interests. As a result, the parties reached an agreement that Israel would instead "finance strategic materials" for the Ukrainian side, the publication claims. According to the newspaper's sources, the Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Yair Lapid, approved this step, and the cabinet refused official comments.
According to Haaretz, in total, Israel spent "several million dollars" for these purposes, these funds were transferred to one of the NATO member countries "deeply involved in the supply of military equipment to Ukraine." This state acquired the same strategic materials with the funds received and sent them to Ukraine, the newspaper writes.
At the same time, the publication does not specify which "strategic materials" it is talking about. At the same time, the Israeli authorities asked all participants in these deliveries not to disclose details so as not to irritate the Russian side, Haaretz also claims. In addition, according to the newspaper's sources, the Israeli authorities also agreed to the possibility of supplying Ukraine with NATO weapons systems containing Israeli components, including optical complexes and fire control systems.
Earlier, Ukraine appealed to Israel with requests to provide weapons, including air defense systems. The authorities of the Jewish state rejected these requests, stressing that their country supports Ukraine and provides humanitarian assistance to it, but at the moment it is not able to supply weapons due to the need to take care of its own national security. In addition, Israeli Defense Minister Beni Gantz said that his country does not have sufficient production capacity to ensure the supply of air defense systems for Ukraine.
