Ambassador: Ukraine Considers Suspending Visa-Free Travel for Israelis

Kyiv is considering suspending its visa-free agreement with Israel due to dissatisfaction with Jerusalem’s policy on Ukrainian refugees, ambassador to Israel Yevgen Korniychuk said in an interview with Ukrainian media on the weekend.

“Russian citizens enter Israel without restrictions, Belarusian citizens as well, and Ukrainian citizens have invented electronic visas,” the Ukrainian ambassador said. “Neither I nor my management can help but take it painfully.”

“We are now considering whether to suspend the visa-free regime for Israelis in response. It will be imperceptible now, but before Rosh Hashanah, the Israeli government will feel it.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s Chief-of-Staff Andriy Yermak made a similar threat in March, saying the electronic permit system implemented is “an unfriendly step for the citizens of Ukraine.”

Korniychuk also expressed disappointment with Israel’s stance on the Russian invasion, saying Ukraine “expects [any form of] help from our partners… but do not sit on the shore waiting for someone to start winning.”