AhlulBayt News Agency: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed that Israel supplied Ukraine with a U.S.-made Patriot missile defense system last month and is set to deliver two more in the coming weeks — a move that marks a significant departure from Israel’s previous position of neutrality in the Russia-Ukraine war.
Speaking after his return from New York, where he addressed the UN General Assembly and met U.S. President Donald Trump along with other senior officials, Zelensky said: “The Israeli Patriot system is operating in Ukraine. It has been operating for a month. We will receive two Patriot systems in the fall.”
According to Iran Press, The decision highlights shifting global alignments. Israel’s direct transfer of advanced missile technology to Kyiv comes as Moscow strengthens its partnership with Tehran and as Israel faces mounting international criticism over its war in Gaza.
For months, Israel sought to balance its ties with both Kyiv and Moscow, mindful of Russia’s leverage in Syria. But Russia’s growing alignment with Iran — and its vocal condemnation of Israeli actions across the region — appears to have pushed Tel Aviv toward a clearer anti-Russian stance.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov sharply criticized Israel in his address to the UN, accusing it of “illegal use of force against the Palestinians” and “aggressive actions against Iran, Qatar, Yemen, Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq” that he said threatened to destabilize all of West Asia.
The Patriot transfer comes as Ukraine braces for renewed Russian missile and drone strikes targeting critical infrastructure ahead of winter. At the same time, Kyiv and Washington are negotiating a $90 billion arms purchase plan first proposed in August.
Moscow, meanwhile, condemned Israel’s shift and criticized the West’s rejection of a joint Russian-Chinese proposal at the UN Security Council to extend sanctions relief for Iran. Lavrov accused Western states of resorting to “blackmail and pressure” against Tehran.
By supplying Ukraine, Israel risks possible Russian retaliation in Syria, where Moscow still controls key elements of airspace and military coordination. But the delivery also signals Israel’s intention to reinforce its ties with Washington and European capitals amid its growing diplomatic isolation over Gaza.
Analysts say the transfer of Patriot systems is not just a military transaction but a strategic turning point — signaling Israel’s break with Moscow and a new phase in the Ukraine conflict with ripple effects from Eastern Europe to West Asia.
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