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1 week ago | 
blogs.timesofisrael.com | Vitalii Portnikov |Vitaly Portnikov
The escalating conflict between Israel and Iran is rapidly becoming the focus of global attention. This confrontation is not just a threat to stability in the Middle East — it is already shifting international political energy and resources, distracting world leaders from other urgent issues, first and foremost the war in Ukraine. A further escalation, particularly through missile exchanges between Tehran and Jerusalem, could have unpredictable consequences.
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1 week ago | 
blogs.timesofisrael.com | Vitalii Portnikov |Vitaly Portnikov
Following Israel’s strikes on Iran and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s call to put an end to the theocratic regime, the possibility of the Islamic Republic’s collapse is once again gaining prominence in the global media. We often speak of the current Iranian leadership as a direct continuation of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. But in reality, we are likely witnessing the third ruling elite since that upheaval.
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2 weeks ago | 
blogs.timesofisrael.com | Vitalii Portnikov |Vitaly Portnikov
Israel’s Drone Offensive and the Ukrainian PrecedentWhen details of Ukraine’s covert “Web” operation — the successful destruction of Russian bombers stationed at strategic airfields — became public, it marked more than just a tactical success. It signaled a fundamental shift in modern warfare, one that challenges the traditional understanding of security and deterrence. It is no longer necessary to destroy a strategic target with a missile launched from national territory.
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2 weeks ago | 
blogs.timesofisrael.com | Vitalii Portnikov |Vitaly Portnikov
The statement by Israel’s ambassador to Ukraine, Michael Brodsky, acknowledging his country’s indirect role in returning Patriot surface‑to‑air systems—previously in service with the Israel Defense Forces—to the United States after receiving newer air-defense systems, has rocked Ukrainian media. It upended longstanding Israeli assurances—echoed by many officials—claiming the country provided only humanitarian aid and no weapons to Ukraine.
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Mar 8, 2025 | 
blogs.timesofisrael.com | Vitalii Portnikov |Vitaly Portnikov
When Russia launched its full-scale war against Ukraine, I warned that this was not a regional conflict but a global confrontation between democracies and dictatorships. It was a shift from a world governed by rules to a world ruled by terror. Yet, many in Israel dismissed this warning, insisting that it was merely a private struggle between Russia and Ukraine—one that had little to do with them. Even Iran’s growing support for Russia did not change this perception.
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Feb 28, 2025 | 
blogs.timesofisrael.com | Vitalii Portnikov |Vitaly Portnikov
By supporting Ukraine in its war against Russian aggression, the United States is not merely upholding its commitments to democracy and sovereignty—it is shaping the future of global security, including in the Middle East. The relationship between American assistance to Ukraine and the strategic stability of Israel and the broader region is more direct than it might seem.
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Jun 4, 2024 | 
blogs.timesofisrael.com | Vitalii Portnikov |Vitaly Portnikov
Not long ago, Mexican scholar and activist Claudia Sheinbaum was the first woman and first Jewish person to hold the position of mayor of the country’s capital. Now she has become the first woman and first Jewish person to lead the state! An impressive career for a woman from a family of Ashkenazi and Sephardic origins who met in Mexico! However, Mrs. Sheinbaum rarely mentions her Jewish roots.
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May 26, 2024 | 
blogs.timesofisrael.com | Vitalii Portnikov |Vitaly Portnikov
The political fortunes of US presidential candidates are often shaped by domestic issues. American diplomats are accustomed to patiently explaining to foreign politicians that American voters prioritize economic interests over foreign policy stances. This is why, in the months leading up to presidential elections, foreign policy often takes a back seat in Washington. However, President Joe Biden finds himself ensnared in a genuine foreign policy trap.
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May 20, 2024 | 
blogs.timesofisrael.com | Vitalii Portnikov |Vitaly Portnikov
Commentators reflecting on the death of Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi often emphasize that he was not the true head of state. They remind us that the real leader of Iran is Ayatollah Khamenei, and any president is merely an aide to the theocratic leader. Consequently, discussions about Raisi’s political legacy are often intertwined with speculations about the future. What if he had survived the crash and become the leader of Iran himself?
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May 6, 2024 | 
blogs.timesofisrael.com | Vitalii Portnikov |Vitaly Portnikov
One of the analysts from the French publication Le Monde dubbed Vladimir Putin the “primary victor in the Gaza War.” Perhaps for some, this characterization may seem like a significant exaggeration. However, as early as the spring of 2022, in one of my articles in Israeli media, I asserted that if Russia’s war against Ukraine does not cease with the restoration of the world order and international law, the next theater of operations would be Israel.
