On the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the restoration of Ukraine’s independence and the 33rd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Ukraine and Kuwait, Ambassador of Ukraine to the State of Kuwait Maksym Subkh held a press briefing in the format of a working breakfast for representatives of leading Kuwaiti media outlets, bloggers, and representatives of the Kuwaiti Ministry of Information.
During the meeting, the Ambassador delivered a presentation on the key historical events of the past 35 years of Ukraine’s independence, including those related to the development of bilateral relations. He also spoke about the Ukrainian people’s struggle for freedom, independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, as well as the current security challenges facing Ukraine and the Gulf states.
Particular attention was paid to the development of Ukrainian-Kuwaiti cooperation in the field of security and defense. The Ambassador noted that the Agreement between Ukraine and Kuwait on Military Cooperation has entered into force and has already laid the groundwork for practical cooperation between the two sides.
According to the Ambassador, defense cooperation encompasses both the possible supply of military equipment, including unmanned systems, and comprehensive interaction in the areas of personnel training, joint defense projects, planning, coordination between the General Staffs of the two countries, consultations, and the exchange of experience. The Ukrainian side is also ready to conclude additional agreements to further specify the areas of cooperation.
Maksym Subkh emphasized Ukraine’s solidarity with Kuwait and other Gulf states in addressing security threats and noted the similarity of certain challenges, particularly with regard to the use of unmanned systems and attacks on civilian and critical infrastructure.
Speaking about Russian aggression, the Ambassador emphasized that Ukraine is defending its right to exist as an independent state and seeks to restore peace, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. In this context, he drew a parallel with Kuwait’s experience following the 1990 Iraqi invasion and emphasized the inadmissibility of changing borders by force.
Maksym Subkh expressed gratitude to Kuwait for its support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, its adherence to international law, and its humanitarian assistance. In particular, he noted that the Kuwaiti Government allocated $1 million in 2023 for the purchase of generators to support Ukraine’s energy sector.
The Ambassador also emphasized the significant potential for expanding cooperation in the areas of trade, investment, food security, agriculture, energy, technology, defense, education, culture, and tourism.
Following the press briefing, reports were published by all leading Kuwaiti media outlets, including Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), Al-Anba, Al-Rai, Al-Seyassah, Arab Times, Al-Nahar, Al-Qabas, Al-Jarida, Kuwait Times, The Times, Al-Wasat, and Al Wataniya News.
The Embassy of Ukraine expresses its gratitude to the Kuwaiti media for their attention to Ukraine and for the opportunity to convey Ukraine’s position and vision for the further development of bilateral relations to the Kuwaiti audience.