European Centre for Counterterrorism and Intelligence Studies, Germany & Netherlands – ECCI
United Arab Emirates, Humanitarian and Political Role in Ending the Ukraine War
Since its onset in February 2022, the war in Ukraine has emerged as one of the most significant contemporary conflicts, posing—and continuing to pose—threats to European and global security due to its nature and the risks involved.
Despite the international polarization triggered by the conflict, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has successfully navigated this complex issue through flexible diplomacy, maintaining strong and constructive relations with both parties. This approach has allowed the UAE to act as a neutral and credible mediator, achieving key breakthroughs that have made the prospect of a peaceful settlement feasible and actionable.
Hosting Peace Talks
A major diplomatic milestone was the UAE hosting trilateral talks involving Russia, the United States, and Ukraine—a significant initiative conducted at a highly sensitive international moment, as military options appeared increasingly exhausted. On 23 January 2026, President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan met in Abu Dhabi with the heads of the delegations from the three parties.
The meetings included senior representatives from the U.S. administration, as well as military and security officials from Russia and Ukraine, alongside key decision-makers involved in the file. The next round of Ukraine-Russia talks, mediated by the United States, is scheduled for 1 February 2025 in Abu Dhabi.
The UAE Foreign Minister emphasized that hosting these talks reflects a firm belief in the importance of serious, responsible diplomacy—not as a political luxury, but as a moral and humanitarian imperative.
Thanks to its balanced strategic partnerships with the three parties, the UAE has maintained its position as a trusted mediator, avoiding polarization or attempts to exploit the conflict for short-term gains.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his gratitude for the UAE’s pivotal role in facilitating the Ukrainian-Russian negotiations, highlighting Ukraine’s commitment to peace and security.
The Abu Dhabi talks gained further significance following the White House’s announcement in November 2025 of an updated draft peace plan developed between Washington and Kyiv under former President Donald Trump’s initiative to end the war.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had previously noted that a meeting between Russian and Ukrainian officials took place in Abu Dhabi upon Kyiv’s initiative, attended by a U.S. representative, highlighting the UAE’s role as a communication platform between the sides.
President Zelensky also stated at the World Economic Forum in Davos on 22 January 2026 that he supports negotiations on neutral ground, noting that sovereignty issues would be discussed during the trilateral Abu Dhabi meeting.
In parallel with the security track, Abu Dhabi hosted a bilateral U.S.-Russia economic meeting, bringing together Russian Presidential envoy for Investment and Economic Cooperation Kirill Dmitriev and U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. Presidential aide Yuri Ushakov noted that discussions would cover, among other issues, the status of frozen Russian assets.
Putin indicated willingness to allocate part of these assets for post-war reconstruction in Ukraine, contingent upon a peace agreement. These frozen assets in the U.S., valued at approximately $4–5 billion, represent a small fraction of Ukraine’s overall reconstruction needs, and a minor portion of total frozen Russian assets globally, estimated at $300 billion, mostly in Europe.
In February 2025, reconstruction and socio-economic support for Ukraine were projected at $524 billion over the next ten years. The resumption of trilateral talks in the UAE reflects recognition that unilateral or bilateral solutions are insufficient and that realistic settlements require an international framework and neutral venue capable of addressing divergent concerns.
Mediation in Prisoner Exchanges
The UAE’s diplomatic efforts have successfully facilitated 17 prisoner exchange mediations since early 2024, resulting in the release of 4,592 detainees—a remarkable diplomatic and humanitarian achievement amid an escalating conflict. Notable exchanges in 2025 included:
24 August: 292 prisoners exchanged.
14 August: 168 prisoners exchanged.
6 May: 410 prisoners exchanged.
19 April: 538 prisoners exchanged.
19 March: 350 prisoners exchanged.
5 February: 300 prisoners exchanged.
15 January: 50 prisoners exchanged.
These UAE-led mediation efforts were widely recognized internationally, with both Russian President Putin and Ukrainian President Zelensky repeatedly expressing appreciation for Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed’s role throughout 2025.
Bilateral Cooperation and Strengthening Ties with Ukraine
The UAE leveraged its positive neutrality to conduct separate high-level talks with both Russia and Ukraine, culminating in economic partnership agreements. President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed met Ukrainian President Zelensky in Abu Dhabi on 17 February 2025, affirming the UAE’s commitment to peaceful solutions for regional and global stability.
During this visit, the two leaders signed the “Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement” between the UAE and Ukraine, opening avenues for trade, investment, and long-term economic collaboration. The UAE is the only country to have signed a comprehensive economic partnership with Ukraine since the start of the war.
The UAE also held several meetings with Russian leadership, including President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed’s visit to Moscow on 7 August 2025, emphasizing the UAE’s readiness to support mediation efforts for prisoner exchanges and discussing further strategic partnerships in economy, energy, space, and investment.
UAE-Russia relations have been strengthened through a strategic partnership established in mid-2018, reflected in bilateral trade reaching approximately $11.5 billion in 2025, with growing non-oil trade and economic cooperation across multiple sectors.
UAE Humanitarian Response in Ukraine
The UAE has continuously provided humanitarian support to Ukraine, contributing over $105 million since the outbreak of the conflict. Relief flights delivered more than 1,015 tons of medical, food, and emergency aid. Additional support included 50 ambulances, over 4,500 power generators, and two relief ships to Romania, benefiting more than 1.2 million people, predominantly women and children.
The UAE also signed agreements with the Olena Zelenska Foundation to provide additional facilities for foster families and orphanages, totaling $5 million, reflecting the UAE’s long-term strategic vision of integrating economic investment with humanitarian aid to achieve sustainable development and lasting peace.
In September 2025, the UAE and Estonia jointly pledged to support Ukraine’s recovery in education, digital skills, and entrepreneurship during the UN General Assembly. A trilateral declaration with Italy and Ukraine was also signed to strengthen institutional capacity and support women-led small projects.
Further, the UAE and Italy signed agreements to support children, adolescents, and youth in Ukraine through educational, psychosocial, and safe shelter initiatives in partnership with the Olena Zelenska Foundation and other humanitarian organizations.
At the 2025 Ukraine Reconstruction Conference in Rome, the UAE reaffirmed its commitment to reconstruction efforts and strategic international cooperation. In recognition of these contributions, Ukrainian President Zelensky awarded UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem Al Hashimy the Order of Princess Olga, First Class.
Neutrality and Effectiveness
UAE foreign policy in the Ukraine war emphasizes neutrality, enabling communication with both conflicting parties and positioning the country as a “diplomatic bridge” without taking sides. This approach has fostered trust and earned recognition as a successful model of contemporary conflict mediation.
The UAE’s engagement aligns with the “Principles of the Fifty,” guiding the country’s economic, political, and development path over the next fifty years. Principle 10 underscores that “calling for peace, negotiations, and dialogue to resolve all disputes is fundamental to UAE foreign policy,” emphasizing partnerships with regional and global actors to promote stability.
The UAE, alongside China and India, abstained from voting on a U.S.-Albanian Security Council resolution in March 2022 condemning Russia and demanding troop withdrawal, stating that supporting one side would only exacerbate violence. This measured position enabled the UAE to act flexibly and effectively, leveraging its relationships to open channels for dialogue and mediation toward a political settlement.
Assessment and Future Outlook
The UAE has emerged as a significant diplomatic actor in the Ukraine war, opening channels for political dialogue to reduce tension and support peaceful solutions through multilateral mediation.
Hosting trilateral talks with major powers, including the United States, demonstrates the UAE’s constructive neutrality, enabling negotiation paths that could yield tangible outcomes or, at minimum, maintain engagement between conflicting parties.
The UAE’s approach reflects its long-term foreign policy of fostering regional and global stability through diplomacy rather than force, acting as a mediator and facilitator rather than imposing solutions.
UAE initiatives also address broader security concerns, including food, energy, and global market stability, particularly affecting the Global South.
Abu Dhabi’s hosting of negotiations corresponds with the evolving nature of the conflict, shifting toward political management after years of military exhaustion.
While acknowledging the complexity of issues such as borders, sovereignty, and eastern Ukraine, the UAE prioritizes a long-term negotiation track, gradually progressing toward a broader settlement as international conditions mature.
The UAE is expected to continue supporting diplomatic channels, expanding mediation to humanitarian and political matters, and potentially extending negotiations to reconstruction and post-conflict rehabilitation.
Future efforts will likely involve working with international partners to strengthen multilateral dialogue, integrating regional and global actors into sustainable settlements, alongside deepening bilateral relations and peace-supportive policies with Russia and Ukraine through economic and social cooperation mechanisms established in recent years.
https://en.europarabct.com/?p=82401
European Centre for Counterterrorism and Intelligence Studies, Germany & Netherlands – ECCI
