(JNS) Following his first call with Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday that he expects Israel to sanction Russia for its six-month-long deadly war.

“I’ve held the first telephone conversation with the new prime minister of Israel @yairlapid. I count on his country’s accession to the sanctions on Russia and provision of practical assistance to Ukraine in countering the aggression of the Russian Federation,” tweeted Zelenskyy.

Israel has tried to remain neutral between Russia and Ukraine.

Lapid tweeted: “I congratulated him on the occasion of Ukraine’s 31st Independence Day last week. Israel and Ukraine share long-standing ties. We hope to see an end to the war soon, and for Ukrainians to live in peace and prosperity.”