Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized Israel for allowing the Panama-flagged cargo ship Panormitis, which is allegedly carrying stolen Ukrainian grain, to dock in Haifa and threatened to coordinate with European partners to apply sanctions against involved Israeli entities, Ukrainska Pravda reported on April 28. A European Commission spokesperson subsequently confirmed the bloc is prepared to sanction individuals and entities aiding the illicit trade.

Ukrainian intelligence tracked the grain transfer from the occupied port of Berdyansk to the Panormitis, but the ship arrived in Israel with customs documents claiming the grain originated legally from a Russian port. The maritime dispute is also fueled by a domestic political crisis in Ukraine, as Israeli authorities are protecting Tymur Mindich, a former Zelensky associate and fugitive implicated in a massive Ukrainian defense corruption scandal.