UAE president, Ukrainian first lady discuss humanitarian assistance

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Ukraine’s first lady Olena Zelenska discussed humanitarian assistance to her country with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during a visit to the country’s capital Abu Dhabi, a statement by the Ukrainian presidency has said.

"Today, during a meeting with the President of the UAE, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, I had the opportunity to personally thank him and the people of the Emirates for the extremely important and valuable humanitarian assistance provided to Ukrainians in the difficult times of repelling Russian aggression," Zelenska said, according to the statement released late Tuesday.

Zelenska thanked the UAE president and his country for supporting important UN General Assembly resolutions and humanitarian assistance to the Ukrainian people, it added.

She also presented a project of the Olena Zelenska Foundation to Al Nahyan to build separate housing for family-type children’s homes in Ukraine to help replace destroyed housing in the ongoing Moscow-Kyiv war.

"I was pleased to hear that the UAE would join our initiative," Zelenska noted, according to the statement.

Zelenska arrived in the UAE to take part in the Forbes 30/50 Forum in Abu Dhabi held on March 7-10 on the occasion of International Women's Day, celebrated on March 8.