Don’t consider this a vent, but rather a friend-to-friend confession.

Today, on the day Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a strict antisemitism law that seeks up to eight years of potential imprisonment for violators, Ukrainian media reported that Israel’s port of Haifa had accepted a cargo of wheat—43,765.18 tonnes—from Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories, loaded at the anchorage of Russia’s Kavkaz port.

At my request for Kyiv Post, the Ukrainian Embassy in Israel described this as a blatant violation of international law and called on Jerusalem to vet both the shipment and its route given that the final destination remains unclear. The tone was anything but reserved.

At my request for Kyiv Post, the Ukrainian Embassy in Israel described this as a blatant violation of international law and called on Jerusalem to vet both the shipment and its route given that the final destination remains unclear. The tone was anything but reserved.

These developments come on the heels of vocal support from prominent Israeli figures for Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán—the enfant terrible of the European Union—whose government has long relied on Brussels’ funding while simultaneously adopting an overtly pro-Kremlin stance, at times even accused of sharing sensitive information and consistently working to dehumanize Kyiv.

Now, I’m not here to tell Israel how to run its foreign policy or how to choose partners. But as a Ukrainian Zionist with Jewish roots, I increasingly struggle to understand how to build a bridge between Kyiv and Jerusalem without being metaphorically pelted with rotten tomatoes. Not because of antisemitism—but because it is becoming nearly impossible to explain to the average person how a country that broadly supports Ukraine and ranks among the most Russia-skeptical societies can act the way it does.

Now, I’m not here to tell Israel how to run its foreign policy or how to choose partners. But as a Ukrainian Zionist with Jewish roots, I increasingly struggle to understand how to build a bridge between Kyiv and Jerusalem without being metaphorically pelted with rotten tomatoes. Not because of antisemitism—but because it is becoming nearly impossible to explain to the average person how a country that broadly supports Ukraine and ranks among the most Russia-skeptical societies can act the way it does.

The usual explanations—that Israel must maintain a delicate regional balance—are wearing thin, especially given that Russia openly supports many of Israel’s key adversaries, from Hamas to Iran. Other arguments, such as “Ukraine voted against Israel at the UN,” sound increasingly simplistic—particularly since Israel’s own voting record on Ukraine is far from spotless while the historical grudges appear to be somewhat irrelevant given that it’s 2026.

Even more puzzling is how this approach holds up in light of the sheer scale of Russia’s blatant antisemitic propaganda. Just recently, I took part in a discussion outlining how Russia targets Israel, Israelis, and Jews more broadly—and was thanked for insights that, surprisingly, were entirely new to many participants.

Even more puzzling is how this approach holds up in light of the sheer scale of Russia’s blatant antisemitic propaganda. Just recently, I took part in a discussion outlining how Russia targets Israel, Israelis, and Jews more broadly—and was thanked for insights that, surprisingly, were entirely new to many participants.

I’m more than willing to keep providing that context—especially because I genuinely care about Israel and its people. It’s clear that far deeper collaboration is needed, particularly in countering Russian disinformation at the grassroots level, not just within limited circles of repatriates from cities like Odesa.

But all of this potential for cooperation risks being overshadowed by a growing disconnect. Ukrainian advocates of closer ties with Israel are finding it increasingly difficult to navigate the current political climate—especially as many of Ukraine’s Western partners take an openly critical stance toward Jerusalem, whether justified or not.

But all of this potential for cooperation risks being overshadowed by a growing disconnect. Ukrainian advocates of closer ties with Israel are finding it increasingly difficult to navigate the current political climate—especially as many of Ukraine’s Western partners take an openly critical stance toward Jerusalem, whether justified or not.

The story of stolen grain—which is already resonating deeply in Ukraine, a country still shaped by the trauma of the Holodomor—will only make that task harder.

What is even more disenchanting is that I know Israel can do much, much better and that there are plenty of voices in Israel that seek greater collaboration with Ukraine politically and even militarily. I would much rather see President Zelenskyy visiting Israel than touring the Gulf states, which are largely ideologically adversarial to Kyiv. Especially because Ukraine supports Iran war and the dismantling of the ayatollah regime that is heavily aided by Russia.

I fail to fully comprehend why this is not taking place because it’s in Israel’s interest to have greater cooperation with countries who actually care about its destiny. Quite frankly, Ukraine is among the few in the current geopolitical climate.

And yes—when it comes to the social media reaction to that vessel’s arrival—trust me, you really don’t want to open the comment section.

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)