Foreign Ministry summons Israeli ambassador over stolen Ukrainian grain
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha commented on the news that Israel had received a second shipment of Ukrainian grain stolen by Russia from the occupied territories, stating that the Israeli ambassador had already been summoned to the Foreign Ministry.
He announced this on the social media platform X, according to Ukrinform.
Sybiha emphasized that friendly Ukrainian-Israeli relations can benefit both countries, and Russia’s illegal trade in stolen Ukrainian grain should not undermine them.
“It is difficult to understand Israel’s lack of appropriate response to Ukraine’s legitimate request regarding the previous vessel that delivered stolen goods to Haifa. Now that another such vessel has arrived in Haifa, we once again warn Israel against accepting the stolen grain and harming our relations,” Sybiha wrote.
He added that in this context, “we have already officially summoned the Israeli ambassador tomorrow morning to present our protest note and request appropriate action.”
The day before, the Israeli publication Haaretz reported that the Panormitis, which, according to its information, was transporting grain from the occupied territories of Ukraine, was awaiting permission to dock in Haifa. The publication also reported that four shipments of grain from the occupied territory of Ukraine had already been unloaded in Israel this year.
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not commented on this news.
As reported by Ukrinform, on April 15, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha drew the attention of his Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar to a Russian ship carrying stolen Ukrainian agricultural products that had docked at one of Israel’s ports.
Earlier, Kateryna Yaresko, a journalist with the SeaKrime investigative project of the Myrotvorets Center, reported that on April 12, Israel allowed the Russian bulk carrier ABINSK (IMO: 9303869) to enter the port of Haifa. The ship delivered 43,700 tons of wheat taken from the occupied territories of Ukraine.
Israel informed Ukraine that it was already too late to detain the Russian vessel accused of transporting stolen Ukrainian grain, as the ship had already left the port of Haifa.