Diplomatic Dispute Over Grain Shipments
A diplomatic dispute has emerged concerning allegations that Israel is accepting shipments of grain originating from Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that "
another vessel carrying grain stolen by Russia" had arrived at an Israeli port and was preparing to unload its cargo.
He asserted that Israeli authorities "
cannot be unaware" of the contents of vessels docking at their ports and cautioned that failing to prevent these grain shipments could damage bilateral relations between Ukraine and Israel.
Israeli Response and Ukrainian Protest
Earlier, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar publicly criticised Ukraine for making such allegations, emphasizing that these claims were "
not evidence" and assuring that the issue would be thoroughly investigated.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on the matter, telling journalists that he "
would rather not comment on this in any way or get involved in this matter." Russia has consistently denied accusations of stealing Ukrainian grain.
Reports of Grain Shipments to Israel
The controversy intensified following a report by the Haaretz newspaper, which stated that four vessels loaded with grain from occupied Ukrainian territories had been unloaded in Israel so far this year.
Additionally, another vessel suspected of carrying such grain arrived at Haifa Bay on Sunday morning and was awaiting entry into the port, according to the report.
Ukrainian Diplomatic Actions
On Monday night, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha posted on X that his office had summoned the Israeli ambassador in Kyiv to formally protest what he described as "
Israel's lack of appropriate response to Ukraine's legitimate request regarding the previous vessel that delivered stolen goods to Haifa."
He further warned, "
Now that another such vessel has arrived in Haifa, we once again warn Israel against accepting the stolen grain and harming our relations."
Israeli Official's Rebuttal
In response, Gideon Saar quickly replied to his Ukrainian counterpart, stating that diplomatic relations between friendly nations should not be conducted via social media or public forums.
He wrote on X, "
Evidence substantiating the allegations have yet to be provided. You did not even submit a request for legal assistance before turning to the media and social networks. The matter will be examined. Israel is a state that abides by the rule of law with independent law enforcement authorities."
Zelensky's Statement on the Issue
On Tuesday morning, President Zelensky added his voice to the dispute, declaring in a statement that "
this is not - and cannot be - legitimate business."
He emphasized, "
Such schemes violate the laws of the State of Israel itself."
He noted that Ukraine had taken all necessary diplomatic steps to prevent such incidents but observed that "
yet another such vessel has not been stopped."
He concluded, "
We expect that the Israeli authorities will respect Ukraine and refrain from actions that undermine our bilateral relations."
Furthermore, Zelensky mentioned that Ukraine was preparing a "
relevant sanctions package" in coordination with European countries targeting those involved in transporting the grain and profiting from its sale.
European Union's Position
Anouar El Anouni, spokesperson for the European Union's foreign affairs, told the BBC that the EU had "
taken note of the reports that a Russian shadow fleet vessel carrying stolen Ukrainian grain has been allowed to unload at Haifa port in Israel."
He added, "
We condemn all actions that help fund Russia's illegal war effort and circumvent EU sanctions, and remain ready to target such actions by listing individuals and entities in third countries if necessary."
In 2024, the EU stated there was evidence that Russia was "
illegally appropriating large volumes of [grain] products in territories of Ukraine, which it illegally occupies, and routing them to its export markets as allegedly Russian products."
