Israel seeks proof after Ukraine accuses it of buying ‘stolen grain’ from Russia
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Israel seeks proof after Ukraine accuses it of buying ‘stolen grain’ from Russia")
Representative Photo Photograph: (AFP)
Israel has firmly denied the accusations, stating that Ukraine has not provided any evidence to support its claims.
Tensions between Ukraine and Israel have escalated into a public war of words on Tuesday (April 28) after Kyiv accused Israel of purchasing grain it claims was “stolen” from Russian-occupied territories. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy reacted sharply, calling the alleged trade illegitimate. “This is not, and cannot be, legitimate business,” he said on Tuesday, pointing to a vessel he claimed was preparing to unload such shipments at an Israeli port. He added that Israeli authorities could not be unaware of the origin of cargo arriving at their ports, in a post on X.
Kyiv said it is preparing a sanctions package in coordination with European partners against entities allegedly involved in what it described as a “criminal scheme.” The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry also summoned the Israeli ambassador and issued a formal note of protest.
Ukraine’s strong response reflects its broader effort to cut off revenue streams that could support Russia’s war. Kyiv has repeatedly accused Moscow of exploiting resources from occupied territories since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The latest dispute also comes at a time when global attention is partly shifting due to tensions involving Iran and Israel, raising concerns in Kyiv about reduced international focus on its war effort.
Israel rejects allegations, seeks evidence
Israel has firmly denied the accusations, stating that Ukraine has not provided any evidence to support its claims.
Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar responded sharply, criticising Kyiv for raising the issue publicly. He said Ukraine had neither submitted a formal request for legal assistance nor shared proof before making the allegations on social media.
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“The Ukrainian government has not submitted a request for legal assistance... nor has the Ukrainian government provided evidence for its claims,” Saar said at a news conference in response to a question.
