Ukraine, the United Kingdom and Latvia are strengthening cooperation to counter the illegal export of Ukrainian grain from temporarily occupied territories. On October 21, 2026, the three countries signed a trilateral Memorandum of Understanding on the Grain Verification Scheme (GVS), the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine said in a press release.
The Grain Verification Scheme will be the key tool for cooperation. It can establish the geographical origin of agricultural products through isotopic and chemical analysis. Samples will be compared with a reference database containing information on products of confirmed origin. Verification will cover wheat, corn, barley and sunflower seeds. This approach will help identify shipments of questionable origin and produce scientifically substantiated data that may serve as evidence of their possible illegal export from Ukraine’s temporarily occupied territories.“russia has no right to profit from Ukrainian grain illegally exported from temporarily occupied territories. We must not allow stolen agricultural products to enter global markets disguised as goods of legitimate origin. This requires reliable evidence and coordinated action by our international partners. The Grain Verification Scheme will make it possible to scientifically verify the origin of grain and provide additional means of countering illegal trade. Every attempt to legitimize stolen Ukrainian grain must receive an appropriate response,” Taras Vysotskyi stressed.
The memorandum establishes mechanisms for cooperation among the three countries. These include granting authorized bodies access to the GVS, exchanging scientific data and coordinating the work of relevant laboratories. To ensure effective cooperation, the parties will appoint designated representatives, hold regular technical consultations and coordinate joint action if suspicious shipments of agricultural products are identified.
