Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said would plan to model the country after Israel and not Switzerland when it comes to national security issues after its war with Russia.
On President's official website, Zelenskyy said it was necessary to build a state that could protect itself. "Even if we sign the most powerful agreement, we understand that in two years Russia may return. And if you and I accept this, then we act accordingly," he said.
The President aimed to continue developing Ukraine like any other country which was why the state needs to guarantee concrete security rather than continuously fight with Russia. He said pushing through the plans would depend on countries ensuring the implementation of certain points.
Zelenskyy said "All this is being discussed at the level of advisers and leaders with France, the United States, Turkey, the United Kingdom, Poland, Italy, Israel, and there are many friends who want to join. So far, we have not received a specific list of guarantees and a list of countries that are ready to join us 100%."
He explained that the country would need serious people who were ready to join and fight for Ukraine under the agreement. "So that in the first second when we feel the threat from the Russian Federation, these states will unite and within three days introduce everything at once, block everything," he continued.
"We cannot talk about the "Switzerland of the future" - probably, our state will be able to be like this a long time after. But we will become a "big Israel" with its face. We will not be surprised that we will have representatives of the Armed Forces or the National Guard in all institutions, supermarkets, cinemas, and there will be people with weapons. I am sure that our security issue will be number one in the next ten years," the President said. He thought of making the people of Ukraine their "great army."
Given its good relations with both Ukraine and Russia, Israel became a mediator between the countries in efforts to end the war.
Aljazeera reported that Israel maintained a quiet position about the Russian invasion of Ukraine. However, Israel's Prime Minister Naftali Bennett finally spoke on Tuesday, and condemned the alleged murders in Bucha, near Kyiv. Based on the report, the Prime Minister said that he was shocked by the horrible images from Bucha but "he stopped short of accusing Russian forces of carrying out alleged war crimes or holding Moscow accountable."
"We are, of course, shocked by the harsh scenes in Bucha. Terrible images, and we strongly condemn them," he said. "The suffering of the citizens of Ukraine is huge, and we are doing everything we can to help."
Kyiv Regional Police and residents believed at least 150 people were buried in the mass grave, but the mayor of Bucha said the death toll could increase to 300 people, CNN reported. However, Moscow denied targeting civilians in Ukraine and has claimed the deaths in Bucha were a "monstrous forgery" staged by the western countries to discredit it.
