{"id":923134,"date":"2026-04-28T02:42:24","date_gmt":"2026-04-28T02:42:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/923134\/"},"modified":"2026-04-28T02:42:24","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T02:42:24","slug":"kyiv-summons-israeli-envoy-eu-warns-of-sanctions-after-2nd-stolen-grain-ship-incident","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/923134\/","title":{"rendered":"Kyiv summons Israeli envoy, EU warns of sanctions after 2nd ‘stolen’ grain ship incident"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Monday that Israel\u2019s ambassador had been summoned to his ministry over what he described as Israeli inaction in allowing shipments of grain to enter the country from Russian-occupied Ukraine.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn a joint d\u00e9marche with Ukraine, we are requesting additional information from the Israeli authorities on this subject,\u201d the spokesperson adds, after Ukraine summoned Israel\u2019s envoy to Kyiv today to protest the alleged incident and prevent Israel from accepting an additional vessel.<\/p>\n

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa\u2019ar told Sybiha that Ukraine had provided no evidence to support allegations that the grain was \u201cstolen.\u201d He accused him of conducting diplomacy through the media.<\/p>\n

The Haaretz daily reported earlier that the vessel Panormitis, which it said was carrying grain from occupied Ukrainian territory, was waiting for permission to berth in Haifa.<\/p>\n

The newspaper said four shipments of grain from occupied Ukraine had already been unloaded in Israel this year.<\/p>\n

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A European Union spokesperson later told The Times of Israel that Brussels has \u201ctaken note\u201d of reports on the Russian vessels and warned that those involved could face EU sanctions.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe condemn all actions that help fund Russia\u2019s illegal war effort and circumvent EU sanctions, and remain ready to target such actions by listing individuals and entities in third countries if necessary,\u201d the EU spokesperson told The Times of Israel in a statement.<\/p>\n

Sybiha, writing in English on the X social media platform, said it was \u201cdifficult to understand Israel\u2019s lack of appropriate response to Ukraine\u2019s legitimate request regarding the previous vessel that delivered stolen goods to Haifa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow that another such vessel has arrived in Haifa, we once again warn Israel against accepting the stolen grain and harming our relations,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n

\n

Dear Minister,
Diplomatic relations, especially between friendly nations, are not conducted on Twitter or in the media.<\/p>\n

Allegations are not evidence.
Evidence substantiating the allegations have yet to be provided.
You did not even submit a request for legal assistance before\u2026 https:\/\/t.co\/3pWztyRMyk<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Gideon Sa’ar | \u05d2\u05d3\u05e2\u05d5\u05df \u05e1\u05e2\u05e8 (@gidonsaar) April 27, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Israel\u2019s ambassador, Sybiha said, had been asked to appear at the foreign ministry on Tuesday so that Kyiv could \u201cpresent our protest note and request appropriate action.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

In his response, also on X, Sa\u2019ar said the issue would be examined, but that allegations were not evidence and no evidence had been provided.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou did not even submit a request for legal assistance before turning to the media and social networks,\u201d Sa\u2019ar said.<\/p>\n

Diplomatic relations \u201care not conducted on Twitter or in the media,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Sa\u2019ar quickly faced allegations of hypocrisy, as he regularly hits out at Israel\u2019s critics using his social media accounts.<\/p>\n

Moreover, a community note was added to Sa\u2019ar\u2019s tweet responding to his Ukrainian counterpart.<\/p>\n

\t\"\"<\/a>
\n\t\tA sailor fixes the flag of Ukraine on a boat in Izmail, 700 km (432 miles) southwest of Kiev, Ukraine, on April 26, 2023. (AP Photo\/Andrew Kravchenko, File)<\/p>\n

\u201cUkraine provided evidence and formal requests for legal assistance to Israel regarding previous shipments of alleged stolen grain since March, including ambassadorial meetings and a judicial cooperation request, despite claims to the contrary,\u201d the note said.<\/p>\n

A Ukrainian diplomatic source, speaking earlier on condition of anonymity, said that if Israel did not reject the latest cargo, Kyiv would \u201creserve the right to deploy a full suite of diplomatic and international legal responses.\u201d<\/p>\n

The source said Kyiv was tracking the latest vessel and Israel had \u201cessentially shrugged off\u201d Kyiv\u2019s previous demands.<\/p>\n

Earlier this month, Israel reportedly allowed a Russian vessel carrying stolen Ukrainian grain to dock at a Haifa port, claiming it was too late to turn the ship around.<\/p>\n

Sa\u2019ar, at the time, sent a message to his Ukrainian counterpart claiming that the vessel could not be detained due to the late notice, even though Israel had reportedly been aware of it two weeks before it arrived.<\/p>\n

\t\"\"<\/a>
\n\t\tUkraine\u2019s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga (C) and Israel\u2019s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa\u2019ar (L) lay flowers to the Memory Wall of Fallen Ukrainian Defenders prior to their talks in Kyiv on July 23, 2025. (Tetiana DZHAFAROVA \/ AFP)<\/p>\n

Senior Ukrainian officials had been demanding the confiscation of the wheat cargo.<\/p>\n

Ties between Israel and Ukraine have been delicate since the Russian invasion began in 2022.<\/p>\n

Last month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said<\/a> that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sought to maintain a neutral stance between Moscow and Kyiv, even though Russia has been providing critical intelligence to Iran in the US-Israel war against Iran.<\/p>\n

Ukraine has sought to purchase Israel\u2019s Iron Dome missile defense system, but Netanyahu ruled that out<\/a> to avoid antagonizing Russia.<\/p>\n

Israeli officials routinely defended this stance when Russia controlled the skies over Syria before the fall of Bashar Assad\u2019s regime in 2024. Since then, some Israeli officials have been willing to break more publicly with Moscow, but Netanyahu has avoided doing so.<\/p>\n


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