Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during an inauguration ceremony after the Adani Group completed the purchase of Haifa Port earlier in January 2023, in Haifa port, Israel January 31, 2023. REUTERS
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday he would be willing to consider serving as a mediator between Russia and Ukraine if asked by both warring countries and the United States.
鈥淚f asked by all relevant parties, I鈥檒l certainly consider it, but I鈥檓 not pushing myself in,鈥� Netanyahu told CNN in an interview. He added it would have to be the 鈥渞ight time and the right circumstances.鈥�
Israel鈥檚 close ally the United States would also need to ask because 鈥測ou can鈥檛 have too many cooks in the kitchen,鈥� he said.
Netanyahu said he was asked to be a mediator shortly after Russia鈥檚 invasion of Ukraine in February of last year but he declined because he was Israel鈥檚 opposition leader at the time, not the prime minister. 鈥淚 have a rule: one prime minister at a time,鈥� he said.
Netanyahu would not say who asked him to serve in the role but he said the request was 鈥渦nofficial.鈥�
Ukraine asked Netanyahu鈥檚 predecessor, Naftali Bennett, to act as a mediator and Bennett met in March with Russian President Vladimir Putin and also spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky but he was unable to broker a peace deal.