The crisis with Ukraine deepens: the ambassador was summoned to a protest call

The crisis in relations between Israel and Ukraine continues to deepen, and this morning (Tuesday) a protest call to the Israeli ambassador to the country is expected to take place. Last night there was a public confrontation between Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and Ukrainian Minister Andriy Sibiha, this following the Ukrainian outrage that Israel is allegedly receiving ships with stolen wheat from the occupied Ukrainian territories.

The Ukrainian Foreign Minister wrote on Network X that “Russia’s illegal trade in stolen Ukrainian grain must not be allowed” to harm relations between the countries, and said that “it is difficult to understand the lack of a proper response from Israel to Ukraine’s legitimate request.” He warned that accepting the ship would lead to further damage to relations, and clarified that he had invited the Israeli ambassador for a conversation to “submit an official protest and demand that appropriate measures be taken.”

Foreign Minister Sa’ar responded to his words, and wrote that no evidence has yet been presented to support the Ukrainian claims. According to him, the Ukrainians did not exhaust the procedures before turning to the networks and the media, adding that “the issue will be examined.” “Diplomatic relations, especially between friendly countries, are not conducted on Twitter or in the media,” Sa’ar wrote.

A “Haaretz” investigation revealed yesterday that at least four Russian ships arrived in Israel since the beginning of the year and unloaded grain originating from the territories that Russia occupied in Ukraine. Yesterday we reported that a senior Ukrainian diplomatic source warns of an acute crisis in relations with Israel, this against the background of the arrival of the ship Panormitis in the port of Haifa. “If this ship and its cargo are not turned away, we reserve the right to launch a full range of international diplomatic and legal responses,” the source said.

Ukrainian frustration with Israel has been bubbling for a long time in view of Jerusalem’s conduct regarding the Russian invasion. In Kiev, they were frustrated by the fact that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was not invited to Israel as part of his visit to the Gulf countries in recent weeks, and by the disconnect between Prime Minister Netanyahu and Zelensky.

“We are very disappointed that President Zelensky was not invited to Israel, Ukraine could have shared its expertise in combating UAVs and the new battlefield,” a senior Ukrainian official told N12 last month, adding: “The Israeli leadership knew about Zelensky’s visit to the Gulf states long before it happened, we expected at least a phone call, and it just didn’t happen. The main problem comes from above. We don’t understand it. It may be because of Washington and perhaps the relations that Israel is trying to maintain with Russia.”