Israel halts Russian grain ship amid stolen Ukrainian wheat row
Euronews.com • • world
Key Points:
- Israeli import company Zenziper has halted the unloading of the cargo vessel Panormitis, which is alleged to be carrying grain stolen by Russia from temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories.
- Ukraine's foreign ministry praised the decision, emphasizing it as a sign that Kyiv's legal and diplomatic efforts are effective and warning against participating in the trade of stolen Ukrainian grain.
- The Panormitis, carrying over 6,200 tonnes of wheat and 19,000 tonnes of barley, has left the port of Haifa, with its next destination currently unknown.
- The incident has intensified diplomatic tensions between Ukraine and Israel, with Ukraine formally requesting Israel to arrest the vessel, while Israeli officials claim they have not received sufficient evidence and criticized Ukraine's approach as "Twitter diplomacy."
- Ukrainian authorities continue to monitor the vessel and caution against any operations involving it, highlighting ongoing concerns over the illicit grain trade amid the conflict.
