Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned Israel against supplying weapons to the Ukrainian government,saying that the move would be counterproductive to efforts to reach peace in east Ukraine.
Press TV report: He issued the warning in an interview aired on Rossiya 1 TV on Saturday, saying that the move by Tel Aviv would be “counterproductive” and “only cause a new round of hostility.”
“The death toll would rise, but the result would not change,” Russia Today quoted the Russian leader as saying.
The remarks came after some Israeli politicians suggested that the regime might send lethal weapons to Ukraine in retaliation for Russia’s planned supply of S-300 missile system to Iran.
“It’s a choice for the Israeli leadership to make, they can do what they see necessary,” Putin said.
Ukraine’s mainly Russian-speaking regions in the east have witnessed deadly clashes between pro-Russians and the Ukrainian army since Kiev launched military operations to silence the pro-Moscow forces in mid-April last year. The warring sides inked a ceasefire agreement in the Belarusian capital, Minsk, in February. Since then, both sides have, on numerous occasions, accused each other of breaking the truce.
On April 13, Putin signed a presidential decree paving the way for the long-overdue delivery of the S-300 systems to Iran.
During his annual televised question-and-answer session with the nation at Gostiny Dvor (Merchant Yard) exhibition hall in Moscow on April 16, Putin defended Moscow’s decision on the delivery, saying the S-300 systems are meant for deterrence.
Niamh Harris
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