ISTANBUL

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Ukraine signed on Monday a comprehensive economic partnership agreement between the two countries.

The signing ceremony of the agreement was attended in Abu Dhabi by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

According to the state news agency WAM, the two leaders discussed ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation between the UAE and Ukraine.

Sheikh Mohamed affirmed "the significance of the agreement in strengthening the strategic ties between the UAE and Ukraine, advancing bilateral trade, and elevating economic cooperation in line with both countries’ aspirations."

Under the new partnership agreement, 99% of Ukrainian imports of Emirati goods and 97% of Ukrainian exports to the UAE "will be exempted from customs duties with immediate effect."

WAM said the partnership agreement will contribute $369 million to the UAE’s GDP and $874 million to Ukraine’s GDP by 2031.

In 2024, the trade volume between the two countries reached $372.4 million.

Zelenskyy arrived in the Gulf nation for an official visit on Sunday, the first in a regional tour that also includes Saudi Arabia and Türkiye.

The Russia-Ukraine war completes three years this month after Moscow launched its “special military operation” against Kyiv in February 2022.

Tens of hundreds of people have been killed and millions displaced across the two warring nations.