Zelensky says in UAE for official visit

A picture obtained from the X account of Volodymyr Zelensky shows UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem Al Hashimi (R) greeting Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky (C) and his wife Olena Zelenska (L) on their arrival in the United Arab Emirates on February 16, 2025. Agence France-Presse

KYIV — Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday he had arrived in the United Arab Emirates for a visit with a “large humanitarian program”, ahead of an expected meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.

Zelensky posted a video of him getting off the plane in UAE and holding talks with officials.

“An official visit with the First Lady to the United Arab Emirates,” Zelensky said on Telegram.

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“The priority is to bring even more of our people home from captivity. As well as investment and economic partnership. A large humanitarian program,” he added.

He said this week that he planned to visit the country — as well as Turkey and Saudi Arabia — in the coming days.

But he said on Friday that he had no plans to meet with Russian or US officials there.

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Moscow and Washington are preparing for a summit between their two leaders, with Europe and Kyiv worried they will try to settle the three-year war in Ukraine without them.

The UAE has been an important mediator between Russia and Ukraine, helping with prisoner exchanges and the return of Ukrainian children from Russia, throughout the war.