Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Thursday that he expects Israel to provide his country with defensive military assistance. "What Ukraine needs right now is victory. Without victory, the rest is meaningless." Kuleba thanked Israel for humanitarian aid, especially Israeli companies and Israeli volunteers helping Kiev, in a joint statement at the end of the meeting, which lasted for about an hour and a half, with Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen. Kuleba said, "Israel knows very well our list of military needs, which we also conveyed to the previous government. We are waiting for responsible decisions regarding the Ukrainian air defense." Kuleba expressed his appreciation for Cohen's visit to the town of Bucha, a suburb of Kiev, where a by Russian forces took place last year. "We have laid the important foundations today," said the President, adding, "There is no reason why Israel and Ukraine should not stand side by side at the moment." Open gallery view Foreign Minister Eli Cohen arrived in Kiev on Thursday morning to be greeted by Michael Brodsky, Israel's top diplomat in Ukraine. Liza Rozovsky Cohen did not use the words "war" or "Russia", but twice expressed Israel's resolute side with the Ukrainian people. A Ukrainian official later told Israeli media that they were disappointed that Cohen did not mention Russia during his visit to Bucha. Cohen said his visit to Ukraine was "as emotional as it is important", adding that Israel is developing an air threat warning system for Ukrainians - a promise also made by former Defense Minister Benny Gantz. Cohen left for a visit to Kiev on Thursday morning - the first visit by an Israeli official to Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion almost a year ago. "I am proud to stand by Ukraine in a difficult time for peace," the foreign minister said. Cohen added that Israel will support President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's peace initiative, which will be presented at the UN next week in the first year of the Russian occupation, and emphasized that Ukraine and Israel are partners in condemning Iran's actions. Earlier on Thursday, Russian state television condemned the visit and described Ukraine as a "Nazi state". Cohen is also expected to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, stressing that Kiev is conditional on getting some concessions from Israel. Speaking anonymously to Haaretz last week, a senior Ukrainian official stressed that the meeting with Zelenskyy would not take place if Cohen came to Ukraine "empty-handed" - that is, without accepting at least some of Ukraine's demands to Israel. . These demands include economic aid in the form of a half-billion-dollar loan, diplomatic and humanitarian gestures such as support for a United Nations vote on Zelenskyy's peace initiative, which includes a demand for Russia's complete withdrawal from all territory. Occupied from Ukraine since 2014 and finally military aid. In October, Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent Israel a detailed list of air defense systems that Ukraine wants to purchase from Israel, including the Magen Or system, Barak-8 and Patriot missiles, Iron Dome and David's Sling systems. Arrow missiles. The source said Israel has not yet supplied its defense systems, but expectations in Kiev remain the same. According to him, an air threat warning system that former Defense Minister Benny Gantz promised to provide to Ukraine has also been delayed for now. Open gallery view Rescue workers clear the rubble of a residential building destroyed by a Russian rocket on Wednesday in Pokrovsk, Ukraine. Evgeniy Maloletka /AP Meanwhile, an Israeli official speaking to Haaretz emphasized that the meeting with Zelenskiy was not conditional upon the fulfillment of Ukraine's demands towards Israel. "They did not give us an ultimatum," said the Minister, adding that the meeting with Zelenskyy was approved by the Ukrainian side a few days before the visit, preventing last-minute changes "due to the situation". Cohen's visit to Ukraine was supposed to take place last week but was delayed at the request of the Ukrainians. Last Wednesday, President Zelenskyy traveled to London, Paris and Brussels. Preparations for Cohen's visit to Kiev were accompanied by a series of further tensions between the two sides. For example, Ukrainians claimed that Israel was not interested in holding a joint press conference for the two foreign ministers. An Israeli Foreign Ministry official said in response that "there have been no rejections at any stage and a timetable acceptable to all parties has been established", but that "a joint press conference is not expected". However, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko told Haaretz that the ministers are expected to make joint statements to the media, which will be published on the Facebook page of the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Open gallery view Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson meet in Kiev on Wednesday. Press Office of the President of Ukraine / AP This contention is being waged amid concerns within Israel that Foreign Minister Cohen will become a "sandbag" for Ukrainians because of their frustration with Israel's failure to meet their demands. Regarding meeting Ukrainian demands - Cohen is expected to guarantee his support for Zelenskyy's initiative at the UN, in line with Israel's support for Ukraine in most UN votes since the start of the war. Also during his visit, Israel is expected to publicly reaffirm its support for Ukraine's territorial integrity, but without publicly condemning Russia and its actions. The continuation of credit and humanitarian aid for the rehabilitation of Ukraine is “on the table” for Israel. As first published on the Israeli news site Walla!, Ukraine has demanded, among other things, to significantly increase the number of injured Ukrainian soldiers receiving treatment in Israel. Since the beginning of the war, Israel has given medical treatment to some Ukrainian military personnel. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that the money invested by the Israel International Development Cooperation Agency, which operates under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for humanitarian aid to Ukraine, is three times more than the agency's total budget last year. While the exact amount remains unclear, a source in the State Department says it's "tens of millions of dollars." Another issue that the Israeli delegation wants to focus on and which is expected to receive a positive response from Ukraine is Iran. Israel is interested in using Ukraine to damage Iran's image in Europe, but apparently that would be tantamount to breaking in through an open door. Jonathan Lis contributed to the report. Gotopnews.com