AD CP and Ukraine president discuss regional, global issues
Zelensky thanked UAE for offering aid to Ukraine’s health system, which reinforced his country’s capacity to address the pandemic, stressing his keenness to advance ties between the two countries
His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, on Sunday received Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine, who is currently visiting the UAE.
During the meeting, which took place at the Qasr Al Watan, Sheikh Mohamed welcomed Zelensky and the Ukrainian delegation to the UAE while highlighting his confidence that the visit will help strengthen the overall bilateral ties between the two countries.
Sheikh Mohamed conveyed to the Ukrainian president the greetings of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and his best wishes to Ukraine and its people for progress, stability and prosperity.
At the beginning of the meeting, President Zelensky congratulated Sheikh Khalifa, Sheikh Mohamed and the UAE’S government and people for the Hope Probe’s successful entry into the orbit of Mars while highlighting the importance of this achievement to the global scientific community and humanity, and noting that it will add to the international efforts related to space sciences.
Sheikh Mohamed then thanked President Zelensky for his kind feelings towards the UAE’S achievements.
During the meeting, which was atended by Lt. General Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, and Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, Sheikh Mohamed and President Zelensky discussed ways of consolidating their bilateral relations and investing in available opportunities in both countries, to achieve their mutual interests.
Both sides also discussed their technological, economic, commercial and development cooperation, as well as the developments related to the coronavirus pandemic, the efforts aimed at countering its effects, and the importance of global cooperation in addressing its humanitarian and economic repercussions.
They also discussed regional and global issues of mutual concern and exchanged relevant opinions.
Sheikh Mohamed highlighted the UAE’S keenness to establish partnerships with all friendly countries in various sectors, stressing that the UAE is a country that calls for peace, stability and coexistence in the region and around the world, in light of its strong belief in the fact that development can only be achieved in an environment of peace and stability. Therefore, the country always calls for dialogue and political setlements to disputes and conflicts.
Zelensky thanked the UAE for offering aid to Ukraine’s health system, which reinforced his country’s capacity to address the coronavirus pandemic, stressing his keenness to advance the overall cooperation between the UAE and Ukraine.
The meeting was atended by several Sheikhs, ministers and senior officials.
“Ukraine can and will be the guarantor of the food security of the Emirates,” said Zelensky.
Earlier, in an exclusive interview with Emirates News Agency upon his arrival in Abu Dhabi, he said around 15,000 Ukrainian residents in the UAE, as well as Ukrainian tourists ( 250,000 visited the UAE in 2019) highly appreciate the freedom of worship here, “in their own church in their native language.”
Zelensky, 43, the youngest president in Ukraine’s history added, “We welcome your country’s achievements in space, including the successful mission of the Hope Probe.”
He had an illustrious career as an actor, performer, script writer and filmmaker, winning several prizes in National Television Award of Ukraine, international film festivals and media forums before occupying the top job. He is on his first official visit to a Middle Eastern country ater being sworn in as the sixth President of Ukraine in May 2019.
Talking about the food security cooperation, Zelensky explained that traditional areas of cooperation have already been developed with agro-industrial products being the main exports from Ukraine to the UAE.
“Indeed, Ukraine can and will be the guarantor of the food security of the Emirates. Ukrainian black soils are well known all over the world, we are among the world leaders in the export of wheat, corn and barley,” stressed the president.