Official Kyiv assesses the security situation around the country as serious, but is counting on a diplomatic solution with greater support from international partners. The Ambassador of Ukraine to the State of Israel Yevhen Korniychuk said this on Israeli TV channel I24.

«Ukraine believes that the situation is very serious and ready to confront if necessary. We are making every effort to resolve the situation through diplomacy, but, unfortunately, the Russian leadership does not see us as a party to the negotiations. They talk about Ukraine with NATO, the United States - without Ukraine's participation. We are not satisfied with this, we are ready for a direct dialogue, as the Ukrainian leadership has repeatedly stated. We are ready for any kind of escalation, and we expect much more from our Western partners than deep concern», - he said.

The head of the diplomatic mission reminded of the reasons for such support.

«Ukraine is counting on the implementation of all positions and guarantees of the Budapest Memorandum, which it has fulfilled since its inception (renounced nuclear weapons), but Russia ignores the implementation. We hope that this will not be ignored by other participants - the United States and Britain», - said the ambassador.

Yevhen Korniychuk also reminded of Israel's initiative to mediate talks between Ukrainian and Russian officials.

«The issue of Israeli mediation was raised during a meeting in Sochi (Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Russian President Vladimir Putin - Ed.), But, unfortunately, it did not develop due to the reluctance of the Russian side. Bennett's predecessor, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said that Israel could be an effective mediator if both sides wanted it, but so far there is only one desire – Ukraine», - the Ambassador said.

He added: «Everyone must take into account the wishes of the Ukrainian nation - to be part of NATO and the EU, which is already enshrined in the Constitution of Ukraine. And this position of the vast majority of Ukrainians cannot be changed by the threat of military invasion», - Yevhen Korniychuk concluded.