Ukrainian President in UAE Discusses Prisoner Release, Bilateral Cooperation, and Food Security with Country’s Leader

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and First Lady Olena Zelenska have arrived on an official visit to the United Arab Emirates, the Ukrainian leader has posted on social media.

‘The priority is for even more of our people to return home from captivity. As well as investments and economic partnership. A large humanitarian programme,’ he writes.

The president's website reports that during his visit, Zelenskyy has already held talks in Abu Dhabi with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in an expanded format and one-on-one.

Ukraine hopes that, together with the UAE, it will be possible to bring home more Ukrainians. This was one of the key topics of the talks.

Also during the visit, an ‘important economic agreement’ was signed between the two countries, which ‘liberalises’ access to the UAE market for almost all Ukrainian goods.

‘It will be easier for our companies to sell their products in the UAE,’ Zelenskyy wrote on Facebook.

According to him, the work of First Lady Olena Zelenska was also active. ‘Important issues of humanitarian cooperation: rehabilitation, support for large foster families, support for our people,’ the Ukrainian president said.

In addition, during the visit, Zelenskyy informed the UAE about the situation on the battlefield and the participation of North Korean soldiers in the war against Ukraine.

He stressed that Russia's alliance with North Korea and Iran poses direct threats to the entire world, including the United Arab Emirates, and called for tougher sanctions against Russia.