Why Ukraine And Israel Are Locked In Diplomatic Row Over Grain Allegedly 'Stolen' By Russia

Last Updated:April 28, 2026, 23:00 IST

Ukraine accuses Israel of accepting grain stolen by Russia from occupied territories, summons Israels ambassador, Israel denies wrongdoing and demands formal proof

A diplomatic row has broken out between Ukraine and Israel over allegations that grain taken from occupied Ukrainian territories by Russia has been shipped to Israeli ports.

Ukraine, one of the world’s largest grain exporters, has long accused Russia of illegally seizing agricultural produce from territories under its control.

WHAT UKRAINE ALLEGED?

In a statement on X, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a vessel carrying such grain had reached an Israeli port and was preparing to unload.

Calling the trade illegitimate, he said Israeli authorities “cannot be unaware" of the cargo entering their ports. “This is not and cannot be clean business. The Israeli authorities cannot be unaware of which vessels and with what cargo arrive at the country’s ports," he wrote.

Ukraine maintains that all grain sourced from regions occupied by Russia since 2022 — as well as Crimea, annexed in 2014 — is effectively “stolen". Kyiv claims more than two million tonnes of grain have been taken in 2025 alone and tracked to markets across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East.

The Ukrainian government has summoned Israel’s ambassador and issued a formal protest. Officials say they have shared evidence through diplomatic channels and warned that any country facilitating such trade risks supporting Russia’s war effort.

Zelenskyy has also said Ukraine is preparing sanctions against individuals and entities involved in transporting the grain.

ISRAEL’S RESPONSE

Israel has strongly rejected the allegations, saying Ukraine has not provided sufficient proof. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said the vessel in question had not entered port and had yet to submit official documents.

“The vessel has not entered the port and has yet to submit its documents. It’s not possible to verify the truth of the Ukrainian claims," he said.

The Israeli minister also criticised Kyiv’s approach, calling it “Twitter diplomacy", and said Ukraine should present evidence through proper legal channels.

“If you have any evidence of theft, submit it through the appropriate channels," Saar said.

Russia, which claims to have annexed parts of southern and eastern Ukraine, has not directly addressed the allegations about grain exports. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the dispute was a bilateral matter between Ukraine and Israel and declined to comment further.

“Let the Kyiv regime deal with Israel on its own," Peskov said.

Moscow refers to the occupied regions as its “new territories", though they are internationally recognised as part of Ukraine.

(With inputs from agencies)

News world Why Ukraine And Israel Are Locked In Diplomatic Row Over Grain Allegedly 'Stolen' By Russia

Read More