EU approaches Israel over Russian vessel carrying stolen Ukrainian grain
Kyiv • UNN
The European Union has approached Israel regarding a Russian vessel carrying stolen grain in the port of Haifa. The EU is prepared to penalize third countries for assisting in the circumvention of sanctions.
The European Union has approached Israel regarding a Russian vessel carrying stolen Ukrainian grain that was allowed to dock at the Israeli port of Haifa, an EU foreign affairs spokesperson said on Tuesday, UNN reports citing Reuters.
Details
"We condemn all actions that help finance Russia's illegal war effort and circumvent EU sanctions, and we remain ready to combat such actions by listing individuals and entities in third countries if necessary," EU spokesperson Anouar El Anouni said in response to a request for comment on the situation.
"We have approached the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs on this matter," he said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine stated that it had handed the ambassador a "note of protest."
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar stated that Kyiv has not provided any evidence for its claims.
"The vessel has not entered the port and has not yet submitted its documents. It is impossible to verify the truthfulness of the Ukrainian claims," he said at a press conference in Jerusalem.
Sa'ar said that as of Tuesday, Ukraine had not submitted any request for legal assistance and dismissed what he called "Twitter diplomacy."
"Israel is a state that adheres to the rule of law. We say once again to our Ukrainian friends: if you have any evidence of theft, send it through the appropriate channels," he said.
Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi told reporters that Kyiv had provided "extensive information and evidence" of the cargo's illegality before making the information public. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs published a timeline of its actions and contacts with the Israeli authorities.
"We will not allow any country in any geographical region to facilitate the illegal trade of stolen grain that finances our enemy," Tykhyi said.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on Tuesday, stating that Russia would not interfere.
Traders told Reuters that it is impossible to track the origin of wheat once it has been mixed.