A deepening diplomatic rift between Ukraine and Israel over Russian shipments of allegedly stolen Ukrainian grain escalated this week, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly rebuking Israel for what he termed illegitimate commerce. The dispute centers on the Panama-flagged vessel Panormitis, which arrived off the coast of Haifa on 25 April carrying over 6,200 tonnes of wheat and 19,000 tonnes of barley, according to marine traffic monitors.
“In any normal country, purchasing stolen goods is an act that entails legal liability,” Zelenskyy wrote on X on Tuesday. “Another vessel carrying such grain has arrived at a port in Israel and is preparing to unload. This is not – and cannot be – legitimate business.”
The exchange follows a heated public spat between Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and his Israeli counterpart Gideon Sa'ar. Sa'ar responded on Monday by asserting that “evidence substantiating the allegations have yet to be provided,” and accused Kyiv of bypassing proper diplomatic channels by turning to social media. Zelenskyy countered that “Ukraine has taken all necessary steps through diplomatic channels to prevent such incidents.”
Kyiv summoned Israeli Ambassador Michael Brodsky on Tuesday morning to press for action to prevent the Panormitis from docking and unloading its cargo. The incident is part of a pattern: an investigation by Israeli news outlet Haaretz found that at least four shipments of stolen Ukrainian grain have been unloaded in Israel this year. Earlier this month, the Russian bulk carrier Abinsk delivered nearly 44,000 tonnes of stolen Ukrainian wheat to Haifa, despite Ukraine having informed Israeli officials in advance on 23 March. Ukraine says it received “assurances regarding an appropriate response,” yet the grain was unloaded on 12–14 April.
Systematic Theft and Shadow Fleet Operations
According to Ukrainian investigative journalists, Russian bulk carriers are loaded with grain from occupied territories in southern Ukraine, then transferred to shadow fleet vessels before departing from Russian ports. Kyiv estimates that at least 15 million tonnes of Ukrainian grain have been stolen by Russia since the full-scale invasion began in 2022. Zelenskyy argued that “the Israeli authorities cannot be unaware of which ships are arriving at the country’s ports and what cargo they are carrying,” and stressed that such schemes “violate the laws of the State of Israel itself.”
The public nature of the dispute reflects Kyiv’s frustration with what it sees as ineffective diplomatic channels. After the Abinsk incident, Ukrainian officials turned to social media to pressure Israel. The European Union has also weighed in: the bloc has warned Israel that it may sanction those involved in the stolen grain trade, as reported by European Pulse. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s summoning of the Israeli ambassador underscores the urgency, as detailed in our earlier coverage.
The row has broader implications for European solidarity with Ukraine. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has warned that the EU’s inaction on Israel undermines its credibility on Ukraine, as noted in this analysis. For Kyiv, the grain theft is not merely an economic loss but a weapon of war, as Russia uses the proceeds to fund its invasion. The Panormitis incident may test whether diplomatic pressure—or the threat of EU sanctions—can compel Israel to change course.
