UAE pledges $100 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan (MbZ) pledged provisions of $100 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine on 18 October.

According to UAE news agency WAM, Saudi Arabia sent aid to provide help and assistance to Ukrainian nationals affected by the ongoing war between Moscow and Kiev.

The UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation, Reem Ebrahim al-Hashimy, said the purpose of the aid stems from the president’s belief in the importance of solidarity in times of war, and that Abu Dhabi will continue its efforts to mitigate the humanitarian impact of the conflict.

The aid announcement comes after a phone call between MbZ and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky on 17 October, where the two presidents discussed current developments of the war. 

In recent months, the UAE has provided humanitarian assistance to Ukrainian civilians, flying aid to refugees in Poland and Moldova in response to the UN appeal and the regional refugee response plan in Ukraine.

Last week, Saudi Arabia pledged $400 million to Ukraine, with Saudi Prime Minister and Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MbS) stressing that the kingdom seeks to “contribute to de-escalating” the situation in eastern Europe.

Last month, the kingdom played a crucial role in the success of a prisoner exchange deal between Russia and Ukraine.

Ten mercenaries captured by the Russian army were transferred to Riyadh before their repatriation back home. The swap included nationals from the US and UK.

During a phone call between the heads of state, Putin “thanked Crown Prince MbS for his active and distinguished contribution to the success of the prisoner swap.”

Riyadh’s cooperation with Moscow to cut oil production by 2 million barrels a day during a time when western nations face an existential energy crisis has deepened the distrust between Saudi Arabia and the US. 

As a result, senior US officials say the White House is reevaluating its relationship with Saudi Arabia. Biden described the Gulf’s decision to cut oil production as a “hostile act” against the US’s energy security.