REEM MOHSIN ALKINDI*
The UAE has emerged as an active mediator dedicated to easing tensions and seeking peaceful solutions to conflicts. Guided by principles cantered on people and reducing the suffering caused by war, the UAE has rightly become a bridge for peace and harmony on the global stage, particularly in times of international tension and polarisation. Its flexible diplomacy enables effective collaboration with global powers and organizations to address humanitarian and relief needs during conflicts.
In a remarkable example of successful mediation, the UAE has facilitated several prisoner-of-war exchanges between Russia and Ukraine, involving about 2,200 prisoners, despite the complex conditions of the conflict. The latest exchange, in early 2024, involved about 190 prisoners and marked the UAE’s ninth mediation effort since the beginning of the year. Previously, the UAE also mediated the exchange of two prisoners between the United States and Russia, showing the strength of its relationships with Russia, Ukraine, and the United States and the trust placed in it as a country committed to global peace and known for its neutrality and integrity.
The UAE has consistently prioritised the protection of civilians, providing humanitarian aid to people affected by conflicts. It has established an air bridge to deliver aid not only to civilians but also to Ukrainian refugees in neighbouring countries such as Poland, Moldova, and Bulgaria. The UAE continues its efforts to find a peaceful solution to the conflict in Ukraine through dialogue and supports initiatives aimed at mitigating the humanitarian impact of the crisis on refugees and prisoners of war. Its goals are to reduce the escalation and support the diplomatic path to solving the crisis between the two countries, enabled by its neutrality and credibility to serve effectively as a mediator between Russia and Ukraine.
Humanitarian priorities have been central to discussions during the multiple visits of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, of the UAE, to Moscow, as well as visits to Abu Dhabi by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Addressing humanitarian needs remains a core part of the UAE’s goals and mission, as seen in Abu Dhabi’s support for political solutions to the Ukraine conflict and its commitment to humanitarian initiatives during its membership in the UN Security Council (2022-2023).
The UAE is making all these efforts between the parties to the war with a diplomacy that deals skilfully with such a complex issue by maintaining strong friendly relationships with both sides. This approach has enabled the UAE to become an accepted and trusted mediator for both sides and demonstrated the ability of its diplomacy to address the world’s most complex issues in a calm and balanced manner. These efforts are the focal point of the UAE’s policy, which is based on neutrality and focused on achieving global and regional peace and security. Guided by its firm commitment to peace and stability, the UAE advocates for dialogue through diplomatic channels while working to mitigate the humanitarian effects of the crisis and contain its economic fallouts.
The UAE’s outstanding diplomatic role gives hope for solving the crisis at the political level, as bilateral negotiations between the two countries have stalled. With its policy of neutrality, Abu Dhabi has become a credible and influential mediator in both regional and international conflicts, enabling it to actively push for peace.
To understand the UAE’s driver for resolving the Ukrainian crisis, we must look to the “Principles of the 50,” which define the country’s economic, political, and development path. In these Principles, we find: “Calling for peace, harmony, negotiations and dialogue to resolve all disputes is the basis of the UAE’s foreign policy.” We also find that working with regional partners and global friends to establish regional and global peace and stability is a fundamental driver of the country’s foreign policy. Since February 2022, the crisis in Ukraine has been one of the most dangerous conflicts in the world, given the risks of conflict expansion and the impacts on the global economy and food security.
The UAE continues to mediate war prisoner exchanges and humanitarian relief and aid and strives to build trust and encourage political dialogue to reach a peaceful solution to the conflict. These efforts have positioned the country as a successful, independent, and impartial mediator in international conflicts. With expansive experience in successful mediation and solutions to various regional and international crises, the UAE’s effective diplomacy allows it to encourage constructive dialogue and diplomatic solutions. Both the Ukrainian and Russian sides recognise and respect the impartial diplomatic efforts of the UAE towards a peaceful solution, enabling it to help achieve positive outcomes.
*The author is a researcher at TRENDS Research & Advisory