The Kremlin on Sunday said that Prime Minister Naftali Bennett offered to mediate between Ukraine and Russia to end hostilities.
Bennett's office said the prime minister made the offer in a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a Cabinet meeting which the Israeli leader had to leave for 40 minutes.
The offer followed months of Ukrainian appeals to Israel to serve as an intermediary. Israel has good ties with both Moscow and Kyiv, and Bennett has been publicly restrained in remarks about the fighting in Ukraine.
During the weekly Cabinet meeting, the prime minister said he hoped the fighting in Ukraine would end quickly and warned that the humanitarian implications of the war would be far worse than anyone could imagine.
An Israeli official said Bennett told Putin that Israel "was prepared to assist at any time, and as requested, to assist in resolving the crisis and bringing the sides closer together."
According to the report, Putin told Bennett that Russia was ready to negotiate with Ukraine in Belarus but Kyiv has not seized the opportunity.
Ukraine's ambassador to Israel Yevgen Korniychuk said in an interview with CNN over the weekend that President Volodymyr Zelensky had requested that Bennett mediate between his country and Russia.
"Our president believes that Israel is the only democratic country that has good relations with both Moscow and Kyiv and can be of assistance," he said.
2 View gallery
Ukrainian fighting Russian invasion forces on the streets of Kharkov on Sunday
(Photo: Twitter)
The ambassador also said negotiations should be held in Jerusalem and not in Minsk because Belarus is a close ally of Russia and Ukraine does not recognize Alexander Lukashenko as its legitimate leader.
Israel was in touch with all sides of the conflict, senior Foreign Ministry official Gary Koren told public broadcaster Kan Radio.
Asked if the relatively low-key condemnation of Russia was aimed at keeping open an option of Israel serving as an intermediary, he answered in the affirmative, saying: "Exactly as you described it."
In televised remarks opening his Cabinet's weekly meeting, Bennett made no mention of any mediation role for Israel.
"We pray for the wellbeing of the citizens of Ukraine and hope that further bloodshed is prevented," he said, announcing that Israel would be sending 100 tonnes of humanitarian aid to the country. "We are conducting ourselves with moderation and responsibility."
First published: 14:40, 02.27.22