Netanyahu meets Zelensky, Erdogan on sidelines of UNGA
Netanyahu also to meet Biden, Erdogan as UN General Assembly begins session
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday.
On encountering the Israeli delegation, the Ukrainian leader made note of the "very big team" receiving him, which included Israel's Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan and Mossad chief David Barnea.
Netanyahu committed to continuing the aid given to Ukraine, according to the Prime Minister's Office, including dealing with landmines.
In a conversation with Erdogan, Netanyahu hailed the "strengthening" ties between Israel and Turkey. Relations have warmed after a decade of cold since the 2011 Mavi Marmara incident, in which pro-Palestinian activists setting off from Turkey attempted to break the Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip.
Zelensky's conversation with Netanyahu followed an address to the UN General Assembly, in which he said, "the goal of the present war against Ukraine is to turn our land, our people, our lives, our resources into weapons against you — against the international rules-based order."
The meeting comes as Ukraine is embroiled in a war against Russian invaders since February 2022, with Ukrainian officials slamming a perceived lack of Israeli support despite widespread assistance from the international community.
Israel, on the one hand, has provided Ukraine with substantial humanitarian aid while refraining from sending weapons, fearing reprisal from Russia in geostrategic events surrounding Syria and Iran.
Netanyahu earlier met with German Chancellor Olaf Schulz, with a much-anticipated meeting scheduled with U.S. President Joe Biden.