Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid on Thursday highlighted the global threat posed by the growing military ties between Vladimir Putin’s Russia and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

In an interview with the independent Russian-language TV network RTVi, Lapid stated:

“We naturally think that relations between Russia and Iran are a serious problem not only for Israel, but also for Ukraine, Europe and the whole world.

“Iran is a dangerous terrorist state, and the fact that Russia does business with it puts the whole world in danger.”

In apparent response to its forces losing ground in eastern Ukraine, Russia has begun to bombard Kyiv and other major Ukrainian cities using missiles and Iranian suicide drones.

Ukraine this week made a formal request to purchase Israeli missile shields like the Iron Dome to protect its cities against the Russian onslaught. Western powers are urging Israel to agree, but Lapid and his government have signaled that for now they prefer not to take sides against Russia, at least not militarily.

Meanwhile, a growing chorus that includes Israeli government officials and military analysts say Jerusalem should start to treat Russia as an enemy state.

See: Should Israel Arm Ukraine Against Russia? Gov’t Says No, But Experts Aren’t So Sure