Zelenskyy and Netanyahu
Zelenskyy and NetanyahuAvi Ohayon/GPO

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke by phone on Wednesday about the situation in the Middle East, Zelenskyy's spokesman Sergii Nykyforov said, according to Haaretz.

Nykyforov said that "Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Israel for participating in the inaugural Peace Summit and the support of the final communique."

According to a senior Ukrainian diplomat who spoke to Haaretz, the conversation was initiated by Netanyahu, and he complimented Ukraine on the way it defended itself against Russia's extensive missile and UAV attack this week, comparing it to the Iranian attack on Israel in April.

The Prime Minister's Office did not issue a statement on the conversation.

The diplomat also said that the two leaders agreed to meet in New York in September, at the UN General Assembly.

This was the second conversation between the two since the Hamas attack on October 7. The previous conversation took place on October 8, the day after the attack, and Zelenskyy expressed sympathy with the citizens of Israel.

Shortly after the war with Hamas began, it was reported that Zelenskyy’s office sent an official request to the Prime Minister's office asking to coordinate a visit.

Later, diplomatic sources told Channel 12 News that high-level talks were underway between Israel and Ukraine for a visit to Israel by Zelenskyy, but the visit never materialized.

Zelenskyy met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York in September of 2023, marking their first meeting since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.