Zelenskyy, UAE President discuss prisoner exchange, economic cooperation

He wrote about this on his Telegram channel.

"One of our key topics today is the return of our people from Russian captivity. The UAE's mediation has saved many lives. We thank them for this important cooperation, and today we discussed how we can continue it," the president noted.

In addition, during the visit, the parties signed an important economic agreement that significantly simplifies access for Ukrainian goods to the UAE market. This means that Ukrainian companies will have more opportunities to sell their products in the UAE.

"The First Lady was also actively involved. Important issues of humanitarian cooperation: rehabilitation, support for large foster families, support for our people," Zelenskyy emphasized.

Furthermore, Zelenskyy informed his counterpart about the situation on the battlefield and the threat posed by the involvement of North Korean soldiers in the war. 

The president stressed that the alliance between Russia, North Korea, and Iran creates direct security threats worldwide, including to the United Arab Emirates, and called for stronger sanctions against Russia.

He also briefed Al Nahyan on Ukraine's efforts to end the war and achieve a just and lasting peace. 

The president emphasized that despite the war, Ukraine remains one of the guarantors of global food security. 

Zelenskyy presented the new "Food from Ukraine" program aimed at supporting the Syrian people and invited the UAE to join this initiative. Projects for creating a food hub in Egypt and opportunities for implementing agricultural programs in Ukraine were also discussed.

During the negotiations, the leaders also discussed issues related to the development of bilateral cooperation, particularly in the innovation and economic-trade sectors. Zelenskyy outlined key partnership areas that could benefit both countries.

At the end of the talks, Ukraine's First Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Yulia Svyrydenko, and the UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between the two governments.

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia must withdraw its troops from Ukraine's territory to at least the line as of the start of the full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022.