| Ukrainian soldiers fire a Pion artillery system at Russian positions near Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, December 15, 2022. (Source: AP) |
On January 18, the New York Times reported that the ammunition depot was shipped to Ukraine for use in the conflict with Russia, and said that this decision was made in 2021 – the time when the Middle East ally of Washington is under the direction of Prime Minister Yair Lapid.
An Israeli official confirmed the information to Archyde.com, stressing that then-Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid approved the decision, although the US did not need this approval.
However, Israeli officials do not know if there have been any similar US arms transfers from Israel under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Mr. Netanyahu returned to the position of Prime Minister of Israel on December 29, 2022. He was Israel’s longest-serving Prime Minister and was ousted in 2021, after 12 consecutive years in power. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his previous term cultivated a personal relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The US Embassy in Israel has not yet commented on the information.
On the same day, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused the US of preparing the ground for the conflict in Ukraine as part of what he called a mixed war against Moscow.
Speaking at a press conference in Moscow, Lavrov said that the crisis in Ukraine began long before Russia sent tens of thousands of troops to Ukraine in February 2022.