Ukrainian Ambassador to Israel summoned to Foreign Ministry after criticism of Netanyahu

Ukraine's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Israel Yevhen Korniychuk was summoned to the foreign ministry on Wednesday to express dissatisfaction with his remarks about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s conversations with Vladimir Putin, the YNET news portal said.

"Ukrainian Ambassador to Israel Yevhen Korniychuk was summoned to the foreign ministry to issue a reprimand after he criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's comments about his conversations with… Vladimir Putin in an interview with YNET," the portal said on the website.

According to the Foreign Ministry, Deputy Director General for Eurasian Affairs Yuval Fuchs made it clear to the ambassador that his remarks were "absolutely unacceptable and violate diplomatic protocol." Korniychuk reportedly criticized Netanyahu for praising his ties with Vladimir Putin, saying that Israel should support democracies, especially after October 7, Ynet said.

"In a conversation with Ynet, Korniychuk said Russia is not only waging a brutal war in Ukraine, but also supports terrorist groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah," the publication said on the website. It is noted that on Monday, in a speech in the Knesset, Netanyahu said: "We maintain constant contact with another world power – Russia. I communicate regularly with President Putin, and this long-standing personal relationship helps protect Israel's vital interests, including efforts to prevent interference along our northern border." Korniychuk, commenting on these statements, said: "I am not here to advise your prime minister what to say, but I want to remind you that Russia, this so-called 'great power' has been waging a brutal war against Ukraine for almost four years."