Muscat – H E Sayyid Badr bin Hamad al Busaidi, Foreign Minister, received his Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha, who arrived in Muscat on Wednesday.

Sybiha’s Oman visit is part of a six-day tour of four countries in the Middle East and Africa. He will also visit Angola, Egypt and South Africa.

Sybiha’s tour aims to ‘promote the Peace Formula, develop political dialogue, consolidate humanitarian and energy support to Ukraine, develop trade and economic cooperation’, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry stated.

The meeting in Muscat featured political consultations, during which both ministers exchanged views on several issues related to the Ukraine-Russia crisis, focusing on pathways to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in accordance with international laws and alleviate human suffering.

The two sides also addressed the Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, emphasising the urgent need for a ceasefire, de-escalation, and a return to peace through dialogue. They called for respect for international laws, the lifting of the blockade on Gaza, and the release of all hostages and prisoners.

The ministers also explored their areas of bilateral cooperation, including economic and cultural collaborations, transfer of technology, and advancements in transportation, logistics, and renewable energy.

The meeting was attended by H E Sheikh Khalifa bin Ali al Harthy, Undersecretary for Political Affairs in the Foreign Ministry; and Dr Maxim Sobh, Ukraine’s Special Envoy for Middle East and Africa, beside others.