Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday that Israel's purchase of grain from Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory “cannot be legitimate business”, and that Kyiv is preparing to impose sanctions against those attempting to profit from it.
“Another vessel carrying such grain has arrived at a port in Israel and is preparing to unload,” Mr Zelenskyy wrote on social media. “This is not – and cannot be – legitimate business. The Israeli authorities cannot be unaware of which ships are arriving at the country's ports and what cargo they are carrying,” he added.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Monday that Israel's ambassador had been summoned to his ministry over what he described as Israel's inaction in allowing shipments of grain to enter the country from Russian-occupied Ukraine.
European Commission spokesman Anouar El Anouni told The National that the bloc had approached Israel on the issue and that sanctions were under consideration.
“The EU has 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, despite previous contact from Ukraine with Israeli authorities on the subject,” Mr El Anouni said.
“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,” he added.
Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar told Mr Sybiha that Ukraine had provided no evidence to support allegations that the grain was “stolen”.
The exchange marks a deterioration in a relationship that had appeared to be on the up, with the two countries discussing swaps of drone interceptors and other technology as the Iran war raged. “He has what I need and I have what he needs. So I’m ready for this dialogue,” Mr Zelenskyy said of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this month.
Kyiv considers all grain produced in the four regions Russia has claimed since invading Ukraine in 2022, along with Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014, to have been stolen by Moscow. Russia claims that the four regions are its “new territories”, but they are still internationally recognised as part of Ukraine.
“Russia is systematically seizing grain on temporarily occupied Ukrainian land and organising its export through individuals linked to the occupiers,” Mr Zelenskyy said. “Such schemes violate the laws of the state of Israel itself.” He added that Kyiv expects Israel to respect Ukraine and refrain from actions that undermine relations.
