The Ukrainian president held meetings in April this year with a number of Qatari officials in his first visit to the Gulf state since assuming presidency in 2019.
Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani discussed with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky the possibility of supplying Kyiv with liquified natural gas [LNG].
The meeting between the two leaders took place during the COP26 Summit in Glasgow on Monday, where several world leaders came together to discuss solutions for the climate crisis posing a threat to the planet.
Qatar, Ukraine grow closer with youth, sports, energy agreements
“Discussed with Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani the intensification of trade-economic cooperation, the development of military-technical cooperation & the possibility of supplying Qatari liquefied natural gas to Ukraine,” said Zelensky in a tweet.
The Ukrainian president also thanked Qatar for assisting in evacuations from Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover in August.
In April, Zelensky met with Sheikh Tamim and a number of Qatari officials during his first visit to the Gulf state since assuming presidency in 2019.
Several agreements and memoranda of understandings [MoUs] were signed across various sectors during the Ukrainian leader’s visit to Doha. The cooperation will see the two countries dive into the legal field, energy sector, healthcare, youth and sports.
An agreement for additional contributions from shareholders, Qterminals, was also signed between the two leaders at the time.
Ukraine’s Acting Energy Minister Yuriy Vitrenko and President and CEO Qatarenergy (previously Qatar Petroleum) and Minister of State for Energy Affairs Saad bin Sherida Al-Kaabi signed an agreement that entailed joint development and investments in Doha and Kyiv’s gas exploration and production for three years.
“Increasing our own gas production, diversification of gas supply sources is in the interests of gas consumers in Ukraine and will contribute to sustainable economic development and strengthening Ukraine’s energy security,” said Vitrenko during the visit.
The two countries officially established diplomatic ties in 1993 which have since strengthened.
Qataris and Ukrainians can freely visit the two states without a visa, and Qatari citizens visiting Kyiv can get an entry visa directly at the airport.
In 2020, Doha provided Kyiv with humanitarian and medical care to help the country curb the spread of Covid-19 through the Qatar Fund for Development.
The cargo plane was loaded with up to nine tonnes of coveralls, medical gowns, masks, gloves, goggles and face shields.
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