Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that Russia would not have gone for military cooperation with Iran if Israel had not denied Kyiv air defense systems, Jpost reported.

"There would be no alliance between Russia and Iran if Israeli leaders had agreed to help protect Ukraine's skies," he said at a conference organized by the daily newspaper Haaretz.

Zelenskyy once again criticized Israel's policy on the Ukraine-Russia war, saying that it is "time for Israel to make a choice" whether it sides with "democratic" countries or "those who turn a blind eye to Russian terror."

If Ukraine "closed the skies immediately, Russia would have no motive to turn to Iran." "We have been asking Israel for help since 2014," Zelenskyy lamented. "The decision of your state, your governments was 'not to annoy' the Kremlin, not to help Ukraine for real."