Israel blocks sale of Iron Dome to Ukraine. To help bolster Ukrainian defense, Washington has been trying to transfer advanced Iron Dome missile defense systems to Kyiv. But Israel, a staunch US ally, has reportedly blocked the sale, wary of drawing Russia’s ire. (Israel and the US both need to agree to sell the jointly developed technology to a third party.) Israel is one of few countries that maintains constructive diplomatic ties with both Russia and Ukraine, but for Israel, the stakes with the Kremlin are particularly high: President Vladimir Putin, a powerbroker in the Syrian civil war, has long been willing to turn a blind eye to Israeli airstrikes in Syria targeting Iranian weapons headed for Hezbollah in Lebanon. But Israel also maintains warm trade and diplomatic ties with Ukraine. Israel has been trying to tread carefully, but if Russia invades Ukraine in the weeks ahead, Israel won’t be able to stay on the fence, particularly if the US calls on Western allies to impose harsh sanctions against Russia.