MFA chief discussed Middle East and Ukraine conflicts with Israeli counterpart

Poland's Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski on Wednesday (Jan. 10) spoke on a phone with his Israeli counterpart, Israel Katz. "Key topics of the ministerial consultations included bilateral issues, the situation in the Middle East, and Russia’s assault on Ukraine," the Polish MFA said in a statement published at its website.

The Polish MFA said that "the ministers discussed the future of bilateral relations and agreed on the need to strengthen them".

"As regards the situation in the Middle East, Minister Sikorski expressed his unwavering solidarity with Israel in the wake of Hamas’s attacks. At the same time, he stressed the obligation to keep the military response moderate," we read.

Israeli strikes in southern and central Gaza intensified on Wednesday despite a pledge by Israel that it would pull out some troops and shift to a more targeted campaign, and pleading from its ally Washington to reduce civilian casualties.

Israel had said this week it was planning to begin drawing down troops, at least from the northern part of Gaza, after weeks of U.S. pressure to scale down its operations and shift to what Washington says should be a more targeted campaign.

But the fighting appears to be as intense as ever, especially in the southern and central areas where Israeli forces launched ground advances last month.

According to the statement by the Polish foreign ministry, Sikorski and Katz also addressed "the continuing instability in southern Lebanon and in the Red Sea".

In the latest sign of the three-month-old war spreading, U.S. and British warships in the Red Sea fended off the biggest attack yet from Yemen's Houthi movement, which says it is acting to support Gaza.

Washington and London said they shot down 21 drones and missiles aimed at shipping lanes. No one was hurt.

"Speaking on Ukraine’s defence war, Minister Sikorski noted that it is essential to provide that country with further international support, which was met with understanding from the Israeli side," the Polish ministry added.

NATO allies in a meeting with Ukraine have made it clear they will continue to provide the country with major military, economic, and humanitarian aid in the face of Russia's almost two-year-old invasion, NATO said on Wednesday.

In a statement after the video conference, NATO added that member states had outlined plans to provide "billions of euros of further capabilities" in 2024 to Ukraine.

"NATO strongly condemns Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian civilians, including with weapons from North Korea and Iran," NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said.

"As Moscow intensifies its strikes on Ukrainian cities and civilians, NATO allies are boosting Ukraine’s air defences."

Russia has intensified attacks over the New Year period and pounded Ukraine's two biggest cities, Kyiv and Kharkiv, earlier this month in a new wave of heavy air strikes.