The bilateral relations between Ukraine and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Ukrainian-Saudi relations were established during a visit of the Ukrainian governmental delegation headed by the Prime Minister of Ukraine L. Kuchma to Riyadh in April 1993.

On April, 18 1993 the Ukrainian and Saudi Ministers for Foreign Affairs signed the "Protocol on the establishment of diplomatic relations between Ukraine and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia" at the level of embassies.

On December, 17 1993 the Verkhovna Rada (parliament) of Ukraine adopted a decision on opening of the Embassy of Ukraine in Riyadh, which was implemented on June, 24, 1996. The Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia began its activity in Kyiv in July 2009. On May, 13 2010 the first Saudi Ambassador J. Alhathal arrived to Kyiv.

In 1996 during a visit of the Vice-Chairman of the State Committee of Migration Y. Biluha to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia the “Protocol on performing pilgrimage by Ukrainian Muslims to the Islamic sacred objects” was signed between the State Committee of Migration of Ukraine and the Ministry of Haj of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Official visit of the Minister of Foreign Economy and Trade of Ukraine S. Osika took place in 1997 within the framework of the Ukrainian international exhibition in Saudi Arabia.

In May 1997 the negotiations between the experts of the Ministry of Economy and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the experts of Saudi authorities (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Oil and Mineral resources, Ministry of Planning, Ministry of Industry and Electrification, Saudi Academy of Sciences etc.) were held in Riyad. The negotiations resulted in initiating of the framework Agreement on trade, economic, scientific, technical and investment cooperation.

The development of Ukrainian-Saudi bilateral relations was encouraged by the visit of the President of Ukraine L. Kuchma to Riyadh on January, 17-19, 2003. The President of Ukraine held meetings with the King of Saudi Arabia Fahd bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Crown Prince, the Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Industry and Electricity Hashim Yamani and the GCC Secretary General A. Al-Attiya. During this visit Agreement between the Government of Ukraine and the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on trade, economic, scientific, technical and investment cooperation was signed.

In 2003 Chairman of the State Tourism Administration of Ukraine V. Tsybukh visited Riyadh, where he met with senior government officials and representatives of private companies and informed them of tourism, recreational and investment opportunities of our country.

The Saudi business delegation visited Ukraine in 2003. As a result of meetings of members of the Saudi delegation with the board members of SC “Ukrspetsexport”, “UkrAziyabud”, “Ukrinterenergo” and other Ukrainian companies 11 agreements on cooperation and protocols on intentions were signed.

The delegation of the Ministry of Interior of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia visited Ukraine in 2004 and conducted meetings with Ukrainian companies – producers of equipment and machinery that can be used for control of terrestrial and maritime borders, training of anti-terrorism units etc.

In June 2004 the GCC Secretary General A. Al-Attiya visited Ukraine.

The First Joint Session of Intergovernmental Ukrainian-Saudi Commission on trade, economic, scientific and technical cooperation was held in July 2004 in Jeddah. The Ukrainian side was headed by the Minister of Economy and European Integration M. Derkach, from the Saudi side – the Minister of Trade and Industry Hashim Yamani.

In 2005 a group of Saudi businessmen, headed by the Chairman of the Council of Saudi Chambers Abdul Rahman Al-Jeraisi, paid a visit to Ukraine, where he met with Prime Minister Y. Tymoshenko. During the visit, a joint sitting of the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and the Council of Saudi Chambers were conducted, which culminated in the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding regarding establishing a Ukrainian-Saudi Business Council.

In May 2005 a business forum "Business Without Borders: Saudi Arabia – Ukraine” was held as well.

In February 2006 the Second Joint Session of the Intergovernmental Ukrainian-Saudi Commission on trade, economic and scientific-technical cooperation was held in Kyiv. Ukrainian party was headed by Minister of Economy A. Yatsenyuk, Saudi party – by Minister of Trade and Industry H. Yamani. The second business forum "Business Without Borders: Ukraine - Saudi Arabia” was organized in the framework of the event.

In April 2008 the Third Joint Session of the Intergovernmental Ukrainian-Saudi Commission on trade, economic and scientific-technical cooperation was held in Riyadh. Ukrainian party was headed by First Vice Prime Minister O. Turchynov, Saudi party – by Minister of Transport J. Al-Suraysari. Head of the Ukrainian official delegation was received by the Saudi King Abdullah.

In 2009 a delegation of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine visited Saudi Arabia. It was headed by the chairman of the committee on foreign affairs, member of parliamentary group on interparliamentary relations with the Kingdom O. Belorus.

In 2009 during a visit to Ukraine, Deputy Foreign Minister H. Al-Jindan signed a protocol on political consultations between Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

In 2009 there was a visit of the President of the Ukrainian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs A. Kinah and Ukrainian business delegation to Saudi Arabia.

In 2010 a high-level delegation of Ministry of Agriculture of Saudi Arabia participated in agricultural exhibition "Agro 2010" in Ukraine as well as a delegation of the National Space Agency of Ukraine, headed by Director General Y. Alekseev, visited the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

A major role for development of relations between the two countries in political and military-technical spheres was played by Assistant - Secretary of Defense and Aviation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Prince Khalid bin Sultan to Ukraine in 2011, where he met with Prime Minister of Ukraine, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Defense of Ukraine.

In 2011 a delegation of “Alrajhi Investment” company visited Ukraine and conducted negotiations with the company "Hlibinvestbud" and the State Food and Grain Corporation.

In 2011 by Minister of Agriculture of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia attended the opening ceremony of the International Exhibition "Agro-2011" and held talks with the Ukrainian counterpart.

In September 2011 an official visit of Minister of Finance of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Ibrahim Al-Assaf to Ukraine by held, which resulted in the signing of the Convention between the Government of Ukraine and the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the avoidance of double taxation and discussed cooperation in investment projects.

In October 2011 the Fourth Joint Session of Intergovernmental Ukrainian-Saudi Commission on trade-economic and scientific-technical cooperation was held in Kyiv, co-headed by First Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine, Minister of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine and Saudi Minister of Transport.

In 2011 an official visit to Ukraine has paid by Chairman of the Consultative Council (Parliament) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Sheikh Abdullah Al Al-Sheikh. He met with leadership of the Verkhovna Rada and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

In October 2011 Minister of Defense of Ukraine paid a special one-day visit to Saudi Arabia for participation in the mourning ceremony for Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

In 2011 Minister of Agriculture and Food of Ukraine visited the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

In December 2011 Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine K. Gryshchenko paid an official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, that was accompanied by bilateral business-forum.

In 2012 there was a visit of delegation of the National Bank of Ukraine to Saudi Arabia, including meeting with the Saudi Finance Minister.

In 2012 a delegation of parliamentary group of friendship with Ukraine of the Consultative Council of Saudi Arabia visited Kyiv and met with leadership of the Verkhovna Rada and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

In June 2012 Ukrainian delegation, headed by Minister of Defence D. Salamatin, visited the Kingdom to express condolences over the death of Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud.

In 2013 Minister of Agricultural Policy and Food of Ukraine visited the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

On January 24, 2015 President of Ukraine P. Poroshenko paid a working visit to Saudi Arabia and met with the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman for expressing condolences over the death of the King Abdullah.

The Fifth Joint Session of Intergovernmental Ukrainian Saudi Commission on trade, economic, scientific and technical cooperation was held in Riyadh in April 2017. It was co-chaired by Ukrainian Minister of Agricultural Policy and Food T. Kutovyi and Saudi Minister of Transport S. Al-Hamdan.

In 2016-2017 exchange of visits of interparliamentary friendship groups delegations to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Ukraine, respectively, took place. Within the framework of these visits, the meetings were held in the Consultative Council, Ministry of Transport, Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as well as the Verkhovna Rada and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

On October, 31 - November, 01 2017 President of Ukraine P. Poroshenko conducted an official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The Head of State held negotiations with the King of Saudi Arabia Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Al-Fadhly, Managing Director of the Public Investment Fund Yasir Al-Rumayyan and Secretary General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf Abdullatif Al-Zayani. A separate meeting was held between the Ukrainian and Saudi Ministers for Foreign Affairs P. Klimkin and A. Al-Jubeir.

The parties discussed the issues of bilateral political, investment, trade-economic, military-technical and humanitarian cooperation. In the course of the visit, a number of documents on bilateral cooperation in the sphere of training of diplomatic staff, investment cooperation in agriculture and cooperation in the information sphere, as well as the Memorandum of Understanding on the mechanism of consultations between Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and the GCC Secretariat General were signed.

In November 2018 under chairmanship of Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine P. Rozenko and Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Abdulrahman Al-Fadley, the Sixth Joint Session of Intergovernmental Ukrainian-Saudi Commission on trade, economic, scientific and technical cooperation was held in the city of Kyiv.

A. Al-Fadley also conducted negotiations with Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine O. Semerak and Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine (for European Integration) O. Trofimtseva.

On March 27, 2014 delegation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia supported the UN General Assembly resolution on "Territorial integrity of Ukraine".

 

POLITICAL DIALOGUE 

Contacts at the highest level:

17-19 January 2003 – official visit of President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma to the KSA.

24 January 2015 – working visit of President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko to the KSA.

31 October - 01 November 2017 – official visit of President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko to the KSA.

03 March, 22 September, 14 October of 2022 - phone calls between President of Ukraine V.Zelenskyy and Crown Prince, Prime Minister of the KSA Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud.

19 May 2023 – official visit of President of Ukraine V.Zelenskyy to the KSA to participate in the 32nd Ordinary Session of the Council of the League of Arab States at the Summit Leve as a guest of honor.

09 September, 23 October, 27 November of 2023 - phone calls between President of Ukraine V.Zelenskyy and Crown Prince, Prime Minister of the KSA Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud.

27 February 2024 – working visit of President of Ukraine V.Zelenskyy to the KSA.

08 May 2024 - phone call between President of Ukraine V.Zelenskyy and Crown Prince, Prime Minister of the KSA Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud.

12 June 2024 - visit of President of Ukraine V.Zelenskyy to the KSA.

Contacts at a high level: 

1993 - visit of Prime Minister of Ukraine.

2011 - visit of Assistant Secretary of Defense and Aviation of the KSA.

2011 - visit of Minister of Agriculture of the KSA.

2011 - visit of Finance Minister of the KSA.

2011 - visit of Minister of Transport of the KSA.

2011 - visit of Chairman of the Consultative Council of the KSA.

2011 - visit of Defense Minister of Ukraine.

2011 - visit of Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine.

2011 - visit of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

2012 - visit of parliamentary delegation of the KSA.

2012 - visit of Defense Minister of Ukraine.

2013 - visit of Minister of Agricultural Policy and Food of Ukraine.

2016 - visit of parliamentary delegation of Ukraine.

2017 - visit of Minister of Agricultural Policy and Food of Ukraine.

2017 - visit of parliamentary delegation of the KSA.

2018 - visit of Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture of the KSA.

2019 - visit of Deputy Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture of the KSA.

2019 - visit of Deputy Minister for Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture of Ukraine – Trade Representative of Ukraine.

2020 - visit of Assistant Minister of Defense of the KSA.

2021 - visit of Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine.

2023 - visit of Minister of Foreign Affairs of the KSA.