US, Allies Mulling Use Of Israeli Security Model In Ukraine

The United States and its allies are considering the possibility of using a security model similar to the Israeli one to ensure Ukraine's security, that is they intend to keep supplying Kiev with weapons, but stop short of coming into direct conflict with Russia, The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday.

"The discussions on this one are going on right now," Polish President Andrzej Duda told the newspaper.

A possible Israeli-style treaty on Ukraine would focus on supplies of weapons and cutting-edge technology, Duda reportedly said without specifying the weapons' type.

Western officials familiar with the discussions on the issue told The Wall Street Journal that the agreement on Ukraine's security was also expected to be closely linked to Ukraine's NATO aspirations, but at the same time, it would prevent the alliance from becoming a party to the conflict.

"We're still discussing with Ukraine and allies and partners what the model will look like," one of the US officials said in an interview with the newspaper.

The Polish president noted that the idea of using the Israeli model in Ukraine had been, in particular, raised by US President Joe Biden during his visit to Poland in February. Meanwhile, people with knowledge of the origins of the idea said it had been first drafted by Andriy Yermak, the head of the Ukrainian president's office, and former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen in September 2022.

Although Israel has been the most close ally of the United States in the middle East, it has never joined NATO. At the same time, its unique relations with the US have made Israel the largest beneficiary of Washington's support under numerous agreements, the most recent of which provides for a $38 billion military aid package to be allocated in a period from 2019 to 2028.