FM Sa’ar Urges Ukraine to Designate Hamas, IRGC as Terror Groups During Landmark Visit

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar met on Wednesday with Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Taras Kachka in Jerusalem, marking the first official visit by a Ukrainian representative to Israel since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022.

In a high-level meeting held at the Foreign Ministry, Sa’ar urged Ukraine to formally designate Hamas and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as terrorist organizations. According to the ministry, both officials also discussed launching a bilateral framework for jointly addressing Iranian threats.

This meeting follows Sa’ar’s July visit to Kyiv, and reflects deepening ties between Israel and Ukraine amid overlapping security concerns.

Kachka, who also chairs the Israel-Ukraine Joint Economic Committee, discussed expanding economic cooperation with MK Ze’ev Elkin and other Israeli officials. His trip comes as Ukraine faces increased pressure on the eastern front, with Russia claiming capture of Pokrovsk and nearby Vovchansk claims Kyiv has denied.

The timing of the visit is especially significant, coinciding with stalled international diplomacy around the Ukraine conflict. On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin held extended talks in Moscow with Donald Trump’s envoys businessman Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner but no breakthrough was reported.

Foreign Minister Sa’ar’s message to Ukraine is part of a broader Israeli diplomatic push to rally international support for the isolation of Hamas and the IRGC, both of which are backed by Iran and implicated in recent attacks against Israeli and Western targets. Share this article or subscribe to our newsletter for updates.