Grain Theft Sparks New Ukraine-EU Diplomatic Pressure on Bangladesh
KYIV, June 27: Ukraine is urging the European Union to sanction Bangladeshi companies accused of importing wheat stolen from Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine. Despite multiple warnings to Bangladesh, the trade continues, says Ukraine's ambassador to India, Oleksandr Polishchuk.
Since 2014, Russia has controlled key agricultural regions in southern Ukraine. Kyiv accuses Moscow of stealing grain, a claim Russia denies, calling the lands theirs permanently.
Documents obtained by the Associated Press reveal Ukraine's embassy in New Delhi sent several letters to Bangladesh's government this year, flagging over 150,000 tonnes of allegedly stolen grain shipped via Russia's Kavkaz port. Bangladesh has not responded.
Polishchuk warns the EU will be asked to act, as intelligence shows Russian traders blend Ukrainian grain with Russian wheat to mask its origin.
'This is a crime,' he said. 'We'll ask our European partners to take appropriate measures.'
Bangladesh denies importing stolen wheat, with officials stating they block Russian grain from occupied Ukrainian areas. Meanwhile, the EU says vessels linked to these shipments are not yet sanctioned but could face restrictions if proven to be involved.
The grain trade is vital for Ukraine's economy amid war, but Kyiv is cracking down on illegal exports. Recent seizures of foreign ships accused of transporting stolen grain underscore the stakes.
A Russian trader admits tracking grain origin is tricky: 'These aren't diamonds or gold — impurities don't reveal their source.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab Times
16 hours ago
- Arab Times
Grain Theft Sparks New Ukraine-EU Diplomatic Pressure on Bangladesh
KYIV, June 27: Ukraine is urging the European Union to sanction Bangladeshi companies accused of importing wheat stolen from Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine. Despite multiple warnings to Bangladesh, the trade continues, says Ukraine's ambassador to India, Oleksandr Polishchuk. Since 2014, Russia has controlled key agricultural regions in southern Ukraine. Kyiv accuses Moscow of stealing grain, a claim Russia denies, calling the lands theirs permanently. Documents obtained by the Associated Press reveal Ukraine's embassy in New Delhi sent several letters to Bangladesh's government this year, flagging over 150,000 tonnes of allegedly stolen grain shipped via Russia's Kavkaz port. Bangladesh has not responded. Polishchuk warns the EU will be asked to act, as intelligence shows Russian traders blend Ukrainian grain with Russian wheat to mask its origin. 'This is a crime,' he said. 'We'll ask our European partners to take appropriate measures.' Bangladesh denies importing stolen wheat, with officials stating they block Russian grain from occupied Ukrainian areas. Meanwhile, the EU says vessels linked to these shipments are not yet sanctioned but could face restrictions if proven to be involved. The grain trade is vital for Ukraine's economy amid war, but Kyiv is cracking down on illegal exports. Recent seizures of foreign ships accused of transporting stolen grain underscore the stakes. A Russian trader admits tracking grain origin is tricky: 'These aren't diamonds or gold — impurities don't reveal their source.'
Kuwait Times
2 days ago
- Kuwait Times
NATO agrees defense spending hike
Trump hails 'victory' • Alliance members restate commitment to mutual defense THE HAGUE: NATO leaders on Wednesday backed the big increase in defense spending that US President Donald Trump had demanded, and restated their commitment to defend each other from attack after a brief summit in the Netherlands. While Trump got what he wanted at the annual meeting, tailor-made for him, his NATO allies will be relieved that he committed to the fundamental principle of collective defense after less clear-cut language on Tuesday. Trump told a press conference that 'we had a great victory here', adding that he hoped that the additional funds would be spent on military hardware made in the US. Trump threatens to punish Spain However, he threatened to punish Spain after Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez declared it could meet its commitments to NATO while spending much less than the new target of 5 percent of GDP. 'I think it's terrible. You know, they (Spain) are doing very well ... And that economy could be blown right out of the water when something bad happens,' Trump said, adding that Spain would get a tougher trade deal from the US than other European Union countries. In a five-point statement, NATO endorsed the higher defense spending goal - a response not only to Trump but also to Europeans' fears that Russia poses a growing threat to their security following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The 32 allies' brief communique added: 'We reaffirm our ironclad commitment to collective defense as enshrined in Article 5 of the Washington Treaty – that an attack on one is an attack on all.' Asked to clarify his own stance on Article 5 after recent ambiguous comments, Trump said: 'I stand with it. That's why I'm here. If I didn't stand with it, I wouldn't be here.' Macron brings up trade tensions Trump had long demanded in no uncertain terms that other countries step up their spending to reduce NATO's heavy reliance on the US. Despite an appearance of general agreement, French President Emmanuel Macron raised the issue of the steep import tariffs threatened by Trump, and the damage they may do to transatlantic trade, as a barrier to increased defense spending. 'We can't say we are going to spend more and then, at the heart of NATO, launch a trade war,' Macron said, calling it 'an aberration'. He said he had raised it several times with Trump. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who hosted the summit in his home city of The Hague, said NATO would emerge as a 'stronger, fairer and more lethal' alliance. The former Dutch prime minister said Trump deserved 'all the praise' for getting NATO members to agree on raising defense spending. Asked by a reporter if he had deployed excessive flattery to keep Trump onside during the summit, Rutte said the two men were friends and judgment of his approach was a matter of taste. New NATO spending The new spending target - to be achieved over the next 10 years - is a jump worth hundreds of billions of dollars a year from the current goal of 2 percent of GDP, although it will be measured differently. Countries pledged to spend 3.5 percent of GDP on core defense - such as troops and weapons - and 1.5 percent on broader defense-related measures such as cyber security, protecting pipelines and adapting roads and bridges to handle heavy military vehicles. The additional spending will be a tall order for European nations, many of which have strained finances. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had to settle for attending the pre-summit dinner on Tuesday evening rather than the main meeting on Wednesday, although he met Trump separately after the conference ended. The Kremlin has accused NATO of being on a path of rampant militarization and portraying Russia as a 'fiend of hell' in order to justify its big increase in defense spending. — Reuters
Arab Times
2 days ago
- Arab Times
EU leaders meet to discuss tougher Russia sanctions, US tariffs and Mideast conflicts
BRUSSELS, June 26, (AP): The heads of the European Union's 27 member nations will meet Thursday in Brussels to discuss tougher sanctions on Russia, ways to prevent painful new US tariffs, and how to make their voices heard in the Middle East conflicts. Most of the leaders will arrive from a brief but intense NATO summit where they pledged a big boost in defense spending, and papered over some of their differences with US President Donald Trump. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will join the EU summit by videoconference, after meeting Trump on Wednesday. US-led NATO downgraded Ukraine from a top priority to a side player this week, but Russia's war in Ukraine remains of paramount concern for the EU. Members will be discussing an 18th round of sanctions against Russia and whether to maintain a price cap on Russian oil, measures that some nations oppose because it could raise energy prices. Meanwhile, Trump's threatened tariffs are weighing on the EU, which negotiates trade deals on behalf of all 27 member countries. He lashed out at Spain on Wednesday for not spending more on defense and suggested yet more tariffs. France's president called Trump to task for starting a trade war with longtime allies. European leaders are also concerned about fallout from the wars in the Middle East, and the EU is pushing to revive diplomatic negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program. EU members have internal disagreements to overcome. They are divided over what to do about European policy toward Israel because of its conduct in Gaza. And left-leaning parties are attacking European Commissioner Ursula von Der Leyen's pivot away from the EU's climate leadership in favor of military investment. Defense and security are likely to top the agenda. The summit will end with a statement of conclusions that will set the agenda for the bloc for the next four months and can be seen as a bellwether for political sentiment in Europe on major regional and global issues.
