Ukraine has requested that Israel seize a vessel carrying grain it claims was looted from territories occupied by Russia. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the ship had arrived at an Israeli port and was preparing to unload, sparking a rare diplomatic dispute between the two nations.
According to Ukraine's top prosecutor, Kyiv has asked Israel to seize the vessel and its cargo, take samples of the grain, and question the crew members. Ukraine accused Israel of allowing the import of the grain, which it asserts was stolen from Russian-occupied areas.
Israel has countered these claims, stating that the vessel had not yet entered the port and had not submitted its documents. The situation has led to a clash over communication methods, with Israeli Foreign Minister Sa’ar criticizing Kyiv for engaging in "Twitter diplomacy." A senior Ukrainian diplomatic source responded that if Israel had answered requests via diplomatic channels, there would have been no need for public posts.
As the diplomatic row continues to escalate, Kyiv stated that other countries are also buying stolen grain from Russian-occupied territories.