Israel has done more than thousands of resolutions. It has taken action to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. It’s important to speak about this on every platform.
But why did I raise this issue specifically at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe? The Council of Europe is about human rights and values. And Israel stands on the side that truly defends democratic values and human rights. Iran, on the other hand, is part of the Axis of Evil. Where there are no values, there is only authoritarianism, desire to kill and dominate. There are no values there, only a thirst for power.
Look at Iran's actions: it strikes Israel at night. Like a real terrorist country. When people come home in the evening to spend time with their families. That's when missiles are launched from Tehran. To catch people at home and kill as many as possible. The only values that Iran has are terrorist values.
I've been asked recently whether an attack on Iran will have any impact on the situation in Ukraine. I can say with confidence that it will.
First, Iran is a key strategic ally of Russia. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Tehran has supplied Moscow with Shahed kamikaze drones, which the Russians have used extensively to strike Ukrainian cities, energy facilities, and critical infrastructure. Every Ukrainian knows what these drones sound like. Hundreds of people have already died because of them. Iran is responsible for the deaths of Ukrainians. Iran is responsible for the deaths of Israelis. And Iran wants to see even more deaths. That is why the right step is to stop them.
Iran supports Russia not only with technology but also by creating alternative logistics routes and platforms for circumventing sanctions and supplying goods. Therefore, any weakening of Iran’s military infrastructure also strikes at Russia’s military potential. The destruction of warehouses, research centres, and factories involved in drone development contributes to the degradation of Russia’s war machine.
Yes, Iran is not currently directly supplying drones to Russia. But it has transferred the technology. Now, Russia has launched mass production of these drones.
Second, it showed that Russia has no capacity to help its allies. Russia has done nothing except statements.
Third, these attacks demonstrate the West’s willingness to act pre-emptively, not just to deter threats, but to eliminate their sources. Ukraine has long urged its partners not only to react but to act proactively and the successful strikes on Iranian targets show that this is indeed possible.
I truly believe that Israel’s attacks on Iran create a geopolitical context in which it becomes increasingly difficult for Russia to wage war and maintain its alliances. In that sense, yes, they do help Ukraine, not by replacing military support, but by complementing it with strategic pressure on the aggressors.
Oleksiy Goncharenko is a member of the Ukrainian parliament and a member of the Ukrainian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
