Grain described by Ukraine as stolen from occupied territories has reportedly entered commercial circulation in Israeli ports, with Ukrainian officials accusing companies and individuals of profiting from the shipments. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Tuesday that a vessel carrying such grain had arrived at an Israeli port and was preparing to unload, labeling the trade illegal.
Zelenskyy, writing on X, asserted that “In any normal country, purchasing stolen goods is an act that entails legal liability.” He announced that Ukraine’s intelligence services were preparing sanctions targeting companies and individuals found to be profiting from these alleged shipments. Furthermore, Ukraine plans to coordinate with European partners to ensure that these individuals are included in European sanctions regimes.
The Pursuit of Profit
Heorhii Tykhyi, a spokesman for Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry, confirmed that Kyiv had informed Israeli authorities about the vessels in advance. Tykhyi stated that more than two ships had arrived in Israel carrying agricultural products that Ukraine described as illegally taken by Russia from occupied Ukrainian land. The ministry emphasized that the origin of the grain had been established and that concealment methods, including ship-to-ship transfers in the Black Sea, were well known to authorities. Despite these warnings and established facts, the cargo continued to reach Israeli ports and enter commercial circulation, according to the Ukrainian ministry.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry accused Israel of failing to respond to formal requests to detain the vessels and their cargo. This alleged inaction allowed the continued flow of goods obtained through dispossession into the global market, facilitating capital accumulation for those involved in the trade. Kyiv described the issue as systemic rather than isolated, urging Israel to halt imports it says involve stolen Ukrainian grain. The ministry warned that the situation risks undermining bilateral relations between the two states.
The State's Role in Protecting Capital
Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar dismissed Zelenskyy’s comments as “Twitter diplomacy” during a press conference in Jerusalem. Saar claimed that Ukraine had not provided sufficient information or requested legal assistance regarding the alleged shipments. However, the MarineTraffic.com marine tracking website showed that the ship in question had been in Haifa for several days, contradicting Israel’s initial statement that the vessel had not entered the port and had not yet submitted its documents.
In response to the accusations, Israel’s tax authority opened an investigation into a ship expected to dock at Haifa port. This state-led inquiry represents a limited response to the broader allegations of systemic trade in dispossessed resources. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry had previously summoned Israel’s ambassador, Michael Brodsky, and delivered a note of protest concerning what it called a continuing flow of such shipments, highlighting the diplomatic efforts to address the alleged commercial activity. The ongoing dispute underscores how state apparatuses navigate the contradictions between international law and the imperatives of capital, which seeks profit regardless of the origin of commodities. The alleged trade in 'stolen' grain illustrates a mechanism where resources are extracted from one population and integrated into global supply chains for the benefit of private commercial interests.