Introduction
The imperatives of survival, sovereignty, and international support have shaped Ukraine’s foreign policy since 2014 — and all the more so since 2022. In this context, Kyiv has sought to balance moral positioning, legal principles, and pragmatic alliances. Yet the evolving global order, marked by intensifying great-power competition and prolonged regional wars, demands periodic reassessment. This article argues that Ukraine should undertake a clear strategic recalibration and move toward unambiguous support for Israel. Such a shift would not contradict Ukraine’s core principles; rather, it would strengthen its strategic posture by aligning with demonstrated power, enhanced access to key decision-makers in Washington, and unique technological and security capabilities.
The Logic of Aligning with Strength
International relations remain, at their core, a system in which power, resilience, and credibility matter. States under existential threat cannot afford strategic ambiguity when choosing partners. Israel’s experience over the past two and a half years—fighting on multiple fronts simultaneously while maintaining internal cohesion, economic stability, and operational effectiveness—offers a powerful illustration of state resilience under pressure. Confronted by armed actors across several theaters, Israel has demonstrated not only military superiority but also strategic endurance.
For Ukraine, this record is highly relevant. Kyiv faces a prolonged war of attrition against a larger adversary and must think beyond immediate battlefield needs toward long-term strategic sustainability. Aligning more clearly with a state that has proven its capacity to absorb shocks, innovate under fire, and prevail despite diplomatic pressure signals Ukraine’s understanding of the realities of power politics. Being on the side of those who consistently demonstrate strength does not imply abandoning values; it reflects an understanding that values are best defended when backed by capability.
Strategic Signaling and Credibility
Clear alignment also serves a signaling function. Ukraine’s current diplomatic posture is sometimes perceived as reactive, shaped primarily by the need to maintain a broad coalition. While understandable, this approach can dilute strategic clarity. A principled yet firm alignment with Israel would convey that Ukraine is not merely a recipient of support but an actor capable of making strategic choices based on long-term interests.
Such signaling matters in an international environment where many states hedge, avoid commitments, or oscillate between positions. Consistency builds credibility. Israel, for its part, places significant value on reliability in partnerships, especially during wartime. A clearer Ukrainian stance would lay the groundwork for deeper bilateral engagement and mutual trust, moving relations beyond cautious pragmatism toward strategic partnership.
Opening Doors in Washington
The centrality of the United States to Ukraine’s security is beyond dispute. Military aid, intelligence cooperation, financial assistance, and diplomatic backing from Washington remain indispensable. Yet access and influence in the U.S. political system are finite resources, increasingly contested amid domestic polarization and global crises. In this context, Israel’s role is distinctive.
Israel maintains unparalleled, bipartisan networks in Washington that extend across the executive branch, Congress, the defense establishment, and influential policy communities. These networks are not merely historical artifacts; they are actively sustained through constant engagement, shared security interests, and deep institutional ties. A closer Ukrainian alignment with Israel would not automatically translate into policy outcomes, but it would create opportunities for advocacy, coordination, and visibility that Ukraine currently lacks.
In strategic terms, this is not about delegation or dependency. It is about synergy. By aligning with Israel, Ukraine can benefit indirectly from Israel’s standing and credibility in Washington, amplifying Ukrainian concerns at moments when attention and resources are stretched. In an era when U.S. global commitments are under scrutiny, any mechanism that enhances Ukraine’s voice is strategically valuable.
Technology, Defense, and Innovation
Perhaps the most compelling argument for closer alignment lies in Israel’s technological and innovative ecosystem, particularly in defense and security. Israel has built, under conditions of constant threat, a unique model that integrates military needs, cutting-edge research, private sector innovation, and rapid deployment. The result is a concentration of capabilities in areas such as missile defense, unmanned systems, cybersecurity, intelligence analysis, battlefield medicine, and command-and-control technologies.
For Ukraine, which is simultaneously fighting a high-intensity war and attempting to modernize its armed forces, access to such expertise is invaluable. While Ukraine has developed impressive adaptive capabilities of its own, especially in drone warfare and digital governance, these efforts would benefit from structured cooperation with a partner that has decades of experience institutionalizing innovation under fire.
Importantly, Israel’s advantage is not limited to specific weapons systems. It lies in processes: how civilian innovation is translated into military application, how lessons from the battlefield are rapidly fed back into research and development, and how small, flexible units are empowered to experiment and adapt. These are precisely the areas where Ukraine seeks to evolve from improvisation to sustainable advantage.
Beyond Bilateralism: Regional and Global Implications
A clearer Ukrainian alignment with Israel would also have broader diplomatic implications. It would position Ukraine more firmly within a network of states that prioritize security realism, technological superiority, and close ties with the United States. This does not require abandoning engagement with other partners or regions. Rather, it provides a stable strategic anchor from which Ukraine can diversify its diplomacy.
Moreover, such alignment could help counter narratives that portray Ukraine as selectively principled or strategically incoherent. By supporting Israel consistently, Ukraine underscores its opposition to revisionist violence and its solidarity with states facing existential threats from armed non-state actors and hostile regimes. This framing resonates with many policymakers who increasingly view global security through the lens of interconnected conflicts rather than isolated crises.
Managing Risks and Misperceptions
Any strategic shift entails risks. Ukraine must be attentive to potential backlash from actors who oppose Israel or seek to instrumentalize Ukrainian positions for their own agendas. However, ambiguity carries its own costs. Attempting to satisfy all sides often results in diminished trust and reduced influence. A well-articulated policy, grounded in strategic reasoning rather than rhetoric, can mitigate misunderstandings.
Crucially, unambiguous support for Israel goes hand in hand with acknowledging its just fight against dangerous Islamist radicals who threaten the security and values of the free world, and its adherence to international law and humanitarian principles. Ukraine can also frame its position within a broader commitment to state sovereignty, self-defense, and the protection of civilians—principles that are central to its own struggle.
Conclusion
Ukraine stands at a juncture where incremental adjustments may no longer suffice. The prolonged nature of its war, the volatility of global politics, and the competition for attention among allies demand sharper strategic choices. Unambiguous support for Israel offers tangible benefits: alignment with demonstrated strength, enhanced access to the centers of U.S. decision-making, and entry into a unique ecosystem of defense innovation and security expertise.
This is not a call for symbolic gestures or rhetorical excess. It is an argument for sober realism. By recalibrating its foreign policy to reflect these considerations, Ukraine can strengthen its international position, deepen strategic partnerships, and better prepare for the long struggle ahead. In a world where power, technology, and alliances increasingly determine outcomes, such clarity is not a luxury, it is a necessity.
To convince Israel that it is in its interest to reciprocate, Kyiv must demonstrate its capacity to bring tangible benefits to Israel in the realms of security, economy and diplomacy.
JISS Policy Papers are published through the generosity of the Greg Rosshandler Family.
