Ukraine steps up work with partners to synchronize sanctions, including on Russia’s "shadow grain fleet", Zelenskyy says
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on work with partners to synchronize sanctions and other contacts.
Zelenskyy reported this on Telegram, Censor.NET reports.
Sanctions synchronization
"It is important that work with partners has been stepped up to synchronize sanctions, Ukrainian sanctions in partner jurisdictions and partner sanctions in our jurisdiction. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha reported on these and other contacts. In particular, we are working more systematically on Russia’s shadow grain fleet, on vessels used to transport grain stolen from Ukraine’s temporarily occupied territories," Zelenskyy said.
Israel-related track
The president recalled that in recent days there had been an acute Israel-related track over the stolen grain, and Ukrainian diplomats and the Office of the Prosecutor General had joined the relevant work.
"We are building a system to counter the shadow grain fleet, just as we are doing with the shadow oil fleet," he stressed.
European track
Zelenskyy and Sybiha also discussed priorities on the European track. The president noted that Ukraine needs strong diplomatic results in May.
"We also agreed on resolving some personnel issues within the structure of Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry and our diplomatic corps. We also determined positions on votes in international organizations in the interests of peace and Ukraine," he added.
Background
- A vessel that, according to the Ukrainian side, may be carrying grain from Ukraine’s temporarily occupied territories arrived at the Israeli port of Haifa.
- Earlier, Israel had already allowed a similar vessel to unload on 14 April.
- Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry summoned the Israeli ambassador to hand over a note of protest over a vessel carrying Ukrainian grain stolen by Russia in the occupied territories.
- Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said that "accusations are not evidence" when commenting on the admission of vessels carrying Ukrainian grain stolen by Russia.
- On 29 April, Ukrainian Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko said Ukraine had sent Israel a package of documents to arrest the Russian vessel PANORMITIS carrying stolen Ukrainian grain.
- On 30 April, the PANORMITIS left Israel’s territorial waters and moved into neutral waters.
