Ukraine summons Israeli ambassador over "stolen" grain vessel in Haifa

Ukraine said on Monday evening that it has summoned Israel’s ambassador in Kyiv, Michael Brodsky, for a “reprimand session” on Tuesday morning after Tel Aviv received a Russian grain shipment that Kyiv says was taken by Moscow from Ukrainian territory, escalating a diplomatic dispute between the two countries.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said in a post on X that “friendly relations between Ukraine and Israel can benefit both countries, and that trade in stolen Ukrainian grain carried out by Russia should not undermine them,” News.Az reports, citing Middle East Monitor.

He added: “is difficult to understand Israel’s lack of an adequate response to Ukraine’s request to refuse entry to a vessel carrying stolen goods in Haifa.”He continued: “Now that another such vessel has arrived in Haifa, we once again warn Israel against accepting the stolen grain and harming our relations.”

The minister said: “we have already officially summoned the Israeli ambassador to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine tomorrow morning to present our protest note and request appropriate action,”

Meanwhile, the Hebrew-language newspaper Maariv reported that Kyiv had summoned Israel’s ambassador for a “reprimand session”.

News.Az 

By Leyla Şirinova