A former Israeli prime minister who served briefly as a mediator at the start of Russia's war with Ukraine says he drew a promise from the Russian president not to kill his Ukrainian counterpart.
TEL AVIV, Israel --UkraineFormer Prime Minister Naftali Bennett emerged as an unlikely intermediary in the war's first weeks, becoming one of the few Western leaders to meet President Vladimir Putin during the war in a snap trip to Moscow last March.
In the five-hour interview, which touched on numerous other subjects, Bennett says he asked Putin about whether he intended to kill Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Bennett said that during his mediation, Putin dropped his vow to seek Ukraine's disarmament and Zelenskyy promised not to join NATO.
Bennett, a largely untested leader who had served as prime minister for just over six months when the war broke out, unexpectedly thrust himself into international diplomacy after he had positioned Israel into an uncomfortable middle ground between Russia and Ukraine. Israel views its good ties with the Kremlin as strategic in the face of threats from Iran but it aligns itself with Western nations and also seeks to show support for Ukraine.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Former Russian fighter says he witnessed torture of Ukrainian prisoners of war | CNNA former senior Russian army officer says he saw his comrades torturing prisoners of war in Ukraine, in a rare eyewitness account from within Moscow's ranks to address widespread allegations of Russian war crimes.
Read more »
Ukrainian official warns of massive Russian mobilization effort'We think, given they live in symbolism, they will try to try something around February 24,' said Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov.
Read more »
'Kidnapped' by Russian soldiers: Ukrainian orphans, guardian share their story after releaseABC News’ Ines de La Cuetara spoke with 15 Ukrainian orphans who were abducted by the Russian military and moved out of the country.
Read more »
Russian journalist sentenced for speaking out on UkraineA court in Moscow has sentenced a Russian journalist in absentia to eight years in prison on charges of disparaging the military
Read more »
NATO sending tanks to Ukraine 'rallied' Russian nation: Serbian president'The West's biggest mistake is that they have announced supplies of tanks, especially terrific German-made tanks,' Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said.
Read more »
Ukraine to lobby for ban of Russian athletes from Paris Olympics“As a last option, but I note that this is my personal opinion, if we do not succeed, then we will have to boycott the Olympic Games,” said Ukrainian Sports Minister Vadym Huttsait about allowing Russian athletes to compete at the 2024 Olympics.
Read more »