Israeli PM mulling possible visit to Kyiv - media

KYIV. March 22 (Interfax-Ukraine) - Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has accepted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's invitation to visit Ukraine, on the condition that Kyiv makes substantial progress in negotiations with Russia, the Israeli publication Ynet News said.

It said Bennett has requested his security service to start preparations for a possible visit to Kyiv.

"In order to advance the negotiations, it is clear that in-person meetings are necessary [...] and they may happen down the road if negotiations reach a tipping point," Ynet quoted a source involved in the talks with Ukraine as saying.

It said some security officials have expressed concerns about risks that Bennett's possible trip to Kyiv might involve.

Ynet said with reference to sources familiar with the matter that Zelensky and other Ukrainian government officials have been pursuing Bennett's visit to Kyiv for the past ten days "as they believe the visit would help expedite ceasefire talks with Moscow."

Bennett visited Moscow and met with Putin earlier this month.

Meanwhile, Israeli Ambassador to Ukraine Michael Brodsky said that Israel on Tuesday was opening a field hospital in Mostyka, the Lviv region.

"Israel will become the first country to open a field hospital in Ukraine. The official opening ceremony will take place today in the city of Mostyka, Lviv region," Brodsky wrote on Twitter on Tuesday.