Embattled Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has asked to deliver a speech to the Israeli parliament amid the ongoing Russian invasion, Knesset officials said Wednesday.
Knesset Speaker Mickey Levy was apparently approached by Ukrainian officials, requesting arrangements be made for Zelensky to deliver a virtual address to the Knesset via Zoom.
The move, however, was not possible due to the current parliamentary recess.Levy's office offered to conduct a Zoom meeting with Zelensky and the Knesset members instead.
The Ukrainian ambassador underlined that Israel didn't deny the request, and that both sides are trying to find a solution that will allow Zelensky to make his address
Aside from the parliamentary recess, the Knesset is undergoing renovations, therefore, a speech cannot take place there, regardless.
A Knesset official told Ynet: "We're for it. The Knesset is starting recess today and the parliament is under renovation. We feared that all the Knesset members wouldn't be able to arrive on such short notice, because they have plans, so Ukraine was offered that Zelensky deliver his speech to several Knesset members over Zoom".
Israel's involvement in the Russia-Ukraine war, meanwhile, continues. On Tuesday, Zelensky thanked Bennett for his mediation efforts in what was their fourth phone conversation since the beginning of the war.
The negotiation process between Russia and Ukraine is taking place in Belarus. Israel's role in the process is to present Putin with the ideas proposed by the West, and then report back to Ukraine and the West with his reaction.
Essentially, Western leaders asked Bennett to depict the situation from Putin's perspective and understand what comes in the way of the negotiations. Israel hasn't proposed any ideas of its own, and doesn't intend on pressuring Zelensky to accept Putin's offers. Israel is aiming to be solely a mediating player in the talks.