Israel will consider joining the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, - Vice Speaker Olena Kondratiuk
Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Olena Kondratiuk met with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar during his official visit to Ukraine.
«We value Israel’s support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. We are interested in air defense systems to protect civilians — this is a humanitarian, not military, need,» Kondratiuk emphasized.
The sides discussed Israel’s potential accession to the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, which includes over 40 countries, as well as the possibility of the Knesset adopting a resolution on children abducted by russia.
«We hope the Knesset will take as a basis the bipartisan resolution submitted to the U.S. Congress. It calls for russia to unconditionally return all deported Ukrainian children outside of any negotiations — before peace talks begin,» said Deputy Speaker Olena Kondratiuk.
In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar stated that Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs would consider joining the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children. «I condemn russia’s attacks on Ukrainian civilians. I came with this visit to honor the incredible resilience of Ukrainians and to show Israel’s solidarity with the people of Ukraine,» he emphasized.
The participants noted the constructive cooperation between the Verkhovna Rada and the Knesset at the level of parliamentary leadership and friendship groups.
Deputy Speaker Olena Kondratiuk also invited Israel to join the Crimea Platform and once again called on the Knesset to recognize the Holodomor of 1932–33 as genocide of the Ukrainian people.
The meeting was attended by Co-Chair of the Parliamentary Friendship Group with Israel Olga Vasylevska-Smahliuk, Ukraine’s Special Representative for the Middle East and Africa Maksym Subkh, and the Ambassadors of Ukraine and Israel, Yevhen Korniichuk and Michael Brodsky.