This week, there was a diplomatic conflict between Ukraine and Israel over a ship with stolen Ukrainian grain, Poland exchanged Russian archaeologist Alexander Butyagin, who was supposed to be deported to Ukraine, and Putin announced a "ceasefire" until May 9 (Victory Day in Russia).
Babel has compiled the main events of the week so that you can stay up to date with the news.
Diplomatic conflict between Ukraine and Israel
On Sunday, April 26, the Israeli media outlet Haaretz reported that the PANORMITIS vessel, carrying grain allegedly stolen from the occupied territories of Ukraine, had arrived in the bay of the Israeli city of Haifa and was awaiting permission to enter the port. In total, according to Haaretz, four vessels have unloaded stolen Ukrainian grain in Haifa since the beginning of 2026.
Because of this, the next day, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry summoned the Israeli ambassador. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha also emphasized that the Foreign Ministry had already appealed to Israel on April 15 regarding a similar ship that had delivered grain to Haifa, but there was no sufficient response to the incident. At that time, Israel informed Ukraine that it was too late to detain the Russian ship, as it had already left the port of Haifa.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar responded to Sybihaʼs post in X, saying that "diplomatic relations are not conducted on Twitter". He also claimed that Sybiha "did not file a request for legal assistance before turning to the media and social media".
On April 28, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry summoned Israeli Ambassador Michael Brodsky and handed him a note of protest over the continued arrival of grain to Israel, which Russia exports from the occupied territories of Ukraine. Already on April 29, Ukraine sent the Israeli side a package of documents for the arrest of the vessel.
On April 30, the Israeli grain importer Centsiper refused to unload the ship. It then departed from the coast of Israel and is now in international waters near Haifa.
After this incident, the EU is considering imposing sanctions against Israel for purchasing grain, and Ukraine is ready to make similar decisions.
Butyagin exchange
On Tuesday, April 28, Poland conducted a five-for-five exchange with Russia and Belarus. Among those Poland handed over was Russian archaeologist and Hermitage employee Alexander Butyagin.
He was detained in Warsaw on December 4, 2025, at the request of the Ukrainian prosecutorʼs office. In Ukraine, he is suspected of conducting illegal excavations on the territory of the Myrmekion settlement in occupied Crimea and destroying the cultural layer of an archaeological site worth over UAH 200 million.
Ukraine demanded Butyaginʼs extradition, and in January the Polish prosecutorʼs office agreed to this request. In March, a Polish court agreed to extradite him to Ukraine.
After returning to the Russian Federation, Butyagin stated in an interview that he would continue illegal excavations in Crimea.
Putinʼs "truce"
On Wednesday, April 29, the US President Donald Trump and Putin had a telephone conversation. During the conversation, Putin said that he was ready to declare a ceasefire by May 9, when Russia celebrates Victory Day. Trump later said that he was the one who suggested to Putin to make a “small ceasefire”.
The next day, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine had not received any communication about a “truce” from either Moscow or Washington. He instructed Ukrainian representatives to contact the United States and clarify the details of the Russian proposal. According to Zelensky, the Kremlin is proposing a “truce” on May 9 in order to “calmly” hold a military parade and then resume attacks on Ukraine.
Last year, on April 28, Putin also reported a ceasefire from midnight on May 8 to midnight on May 11. Despite this, the Russians continued their attacks along the entire front line. According to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, they opened fire more than 700 times in the first half of May 8 alone.
Russia returned to the Venice Biennale
On Thursday, April 30, nine days before the opening of the 61st Venice Biennale, the exhibitionʼs jury announced its collective resignation in support of the decision not to consider Russia and Israel among the contenders for the main awards, the Golden Lion and Silver Lion. The leaders of these countries are accused by the International Criminal Court of crimes against humanity.
Later, the organizers of the Venice Biennale reported in an official statement that they had changed the format of the awards ceremony after the jury resigned. They decided that the winners of this yearʼs exhibition would be chosen by visitors who were on location.
Getty Images / «Babel'»
To this end, two new awards have been introduced — "Visitorsʼ Lions". They will be awarded to the best participant in the main exhibition and for the best national participation.
Separately, the organizers of the biennale emphasized that all national pavilions are admitted to the evaluation "on the basis of inclusiveness and equal treatment", and the biennale itself should remain "a space of truce in the name of art, culture, and creative freedom".
So Russia and Israel will again be able to compete for the main awards. The awards ceremony was also postponed from May 9 to November 22, the last day of the exhibition.
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