- July 9, 2026
- 11:30 am
- Israel, Ukraine
Kyiv and Jerusalem bring Babyn Yar back to the center of bilateral dialogue
Ukraine invited an Israeli delegation to participate in commemorative events dedicated to the 85th anniversaries of the Babyn Yar tragedy. This is not just a protocol visit, but an event directly related to the historical memory of the Jewish people, Ukraine, and Europe.
Preparations for the events were discussed during a visit to Jerusalem by Olga Vasilevskaya-Smaglyuk, co-chair of the Verkhovna Rada’s parliamentary group on inter-parliamentary relations with the State of Israel.
In the Knesset, she met with Deputy Speaker Yevgeny Sova. The parties discussed further cooperation between Ukraine and Israel, with one of the central topics being the preparation for the Babyn Yar commemorative dates, which will be celebrated in Ukraine in the fall.
For the Israeli audience, this holds special significance. Babyn Yar is not a distant Ukrainian history, but a site of mass murder of Jews, a symbol of the Holocaust in Eastern Europe, and one of the most painful pages of World War II.
Why the invitation to Israel is important now
The Ukrainian side hopes that the participation of the Israeli delegation will emphasize the shared nature of the memory of the victims of Babyn Yar. This is especially important at a time when Ukraine continues to live under Russian aggression, and historical memory increasingly becomes part of political and informational struggle.
The meeting in Jerusalem showed that Kyiv is trying to maintain the Ukrainian-Israeli dialogue not only around current crises but also around topics that go deeper than everyday diplomacy.
In this context, NANews — Israel News | Nikk.Agency views such contacts as part of a broader Israeli-Ukrainian agenda: Holocaust memory, security, humanitarian issues, migration, pilgrimage to Uman, and the relations of the two states in international organizations.
Entry of Ukrainians into Israel and the issue of multiple citizenship
A separate block of negotiations concerned the problems of Ukrainian citizens in Israel. Kyiv raised the issue of regular refusals of entry to Ukrainians who are heading to relatives under temporary protection in Israel.
For many families, this is not abstract bureaucracy. After the start of the full-scale Russian war, some Ukrainians ended up in Israel, some remained in Ukraine or other countries, and entry issues became painful precisely at the family level.
The Ukrainian side also emphasized the importance of including Israel in the list of countries whose citizens will be able to obtain multiple citizenship in Ukraine after the relevant law comes into force.
What this could change for Israelis with Ukrainian roots
If Israel is included in such a list, it could be an important step for people whose lives are connected with both countries. A large community of people from Ukraine lives in Israel, and after 2022, the Ukrainian theme has become even closer to many families.
It’s not just about passports. It’s a matter of legal status, family ties, the ability to more freely process documents, maintain connections with Ukraine, and not lose touch with Israeli reality.
Uman, security, humanitarian aid, and voting in the UN
The negotiations also discussed preparations for the annual pilgrimage of Breslov Hasidim to Uman for Rosh Hashanah. For Israel, this is a matter of citizen security, logistics, and interaction with Ukrainian law enforcement agencies.
For Ukraine, it is also a matter of controlling the situation in wartime conditions, when mass events require special coordination.
The parties discussed cooperation between the law enforcement agencies of the two countries, as well as humanitarian aid to Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. This point remains sensitive: Kyiv expects more support, while Israel acts cautiously, considering its own regional threats and internal political calculations.
Israel raised the issue of Ukraine’s voting in the UN
The Israeli side, in turn, touched upon the issue of Ukraine’s voting in the United Nations on resolutions concerning Israel.
This is one of the most complex points in bilateral relations. Israel closely monitors how partners vote on international platforms, especially when it comes to resolutions related to security, war, Gaza, Judea and Samaria, Jerusalem, and the general anti-Israel line in the UN.
Ukraine, for its part, also expects partners to understand its own struggle against Russian aggression. Therefore, continuing the dialogue on such issues may be more important than a separate diplomatic statement.
Following the meeting, the parties agreed to continue contacts. In addition, another meeting of the Ukrainian-Israeli intergovernmental commission is scheduled for early October, where the development of trade and economic cooperation between the countries should be discussed.
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