Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky will reportedly not come to Israel on Nov. 7 as initially planned due to the news leak of his arrival, the Times of Israel wrote, citing undisclosed Israeli diplomatic sources.
Zelensky is still expected to make the trip, but there are no set dates at the moment, the sources told the news outlet.
"If President Zelensky comes, he will be welcomed with open arms," an Israeli official reportedly said.
Reports emerged on Nov. 4 that the president's plans to visit Israel this week, currently embroiled in a war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, are in an advanced stage.
The Times of Israel wrote soon after that, according to an unnamed Ukrainian diplomat sources, the plans were put in doubt because of the leak.
"(President Zelensky) wanted the trip to be public when he stepped on Israeli soil," the diplomat said. "He's very disappointed."
This is not the first instance of the president's visit to Israel being supposedly delayed.
Over two weeks ago, Zelensky offered to visit, but Tel Aviv deemed it premature due to the ongoing war, which was still in its early stages, despite its openness to receiving leaders from various parts of the world, Israeli media said.
Anastasiia Lapatina
(Updated: )
