Due to the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East, particularly following US strikes on Iranian targets, the authorities of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE have temporarily closed their airspace to civilian aircraft. This has led to widespread flight cancellations and diversions by major international airlines.
Qatar closed its airspace on June 23. About 100 flights to Hamad Airport (Doha) were rerouted via Saudi Arabia and Egypt, which lengthened flight times and increased fuel consumption and operating costs.
The UAE (Dubai and Abu Dhabi) also suspended the arrival and departure of all civilian aircraft, which are forced to turn back before entering the country’s airspace.
The states took preventive measures due to the threat of strikes against American and Western targets in the region. International airlines — Singapore Airlines, British Airways, Air France-KLM, American Airlines, United Airlines, and Air Canada — have suspended or changed their routes to these destinations. Flight routes are now being rerouted via the Caspian Sea and Egypt, which will significantly lengthen flights and increase their cost.
The US Air Force is expected to be active in the skies over the Persian Gulf. US military aircraft will participate in repelling Iranian strikes on American bases and allied facilities in the region. No official announcement has been made yet on how many flights have been canceled, but the situation has already caused serious disruptions to air traffic. For passengers, this means delays, ticket cancellations, and longer routes. The aviation industry is preparing for higher costs and fewer flights through one of the world’s key transit hubs.
In May, Saudi Arabia will reduce prices for all grades of oil for Asian buyers by $2.3 per barrel – the maximum since October 2022.
As a result, the main grade supplied to Asia – Arab Light – will fall to its lowest price in 4 months. It will cost $1.2 more than the Oman/Dubai oil basket, state-owned Saudi Aramco said in a statement. Prices for all oil grades for the U.S. will be reduced by $0.2 per barrel, for buyers from Northwest Europe and the Mediterranean – by $0.5 per barrel.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he will visit Saudi Arabia on Monday, but Andriy Yermak, Andriy Sibiga, Rustem Umerov and Pavlo Palisa will meet with U.S. negotiators.
“I will start next week with a visit to Saudi Arabia, and after my meeting on Monday with the Crown Prince, Ukrainian diplomatic and military representatives will stay for a meeting on Tuesday with the American team. The Ukrainian team will consist of Andriy Yermak, Andriy Sibiga, Rustem Umerov and Pavel Palisa,” the president wrote on the X network on Saturday.
Zelensky also said that the diplomatic teams of Ukraine and Britain met in Kiev on Saturday.
“Very productive. Discussed our joint steps that can bring peace closer and accelerate diplomatic work. Grateful for the support. Ukraine is determined to do everything as soon as possible so that it is possible to end this war with a decent and lasting peace,” the president said.
Regarding the negotiations between the Ukrainian and American teams, Zelensky emphasized: “From our side there will be a clear mood for constructive, and we hope that it will be possible to discuss and agree on the necessary solutions and steps. Ukraine has been striving for peace since the first second of this war. There are absolutely realistic proposals on the table. The main thing is to move quickly and efficiently.”
Earlier, US President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Whitkoff said that talks between Ukraine and the US would be held in Riyadh or Jeddah in Saudi Arabia on March 11. The kingdom’s Foreign Ministry clarified later that a meeting between representatives of the US and Ukraine on the possibility of ending the war between Ukraine and Russian Federation in will be held next week in Jeddah
Saudi Arabia is interested in developing cooperation with Ukraine in the agricultural sector, according to Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Vitaliy Koval, who is on a working visit to the country as part of a Ukrainian government delegation.
According to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food on its website, representatives of the Ukrainian delegation held a meeting with Saudi businessmen, which was attended by more than 80 representatives of various business sectors interested in cooperation with Ukraine.
“I thanked them for their support of our country and for believing in its future despite everything. For example, Continental Farmers Group is a company with Saudi capital that already cultivates 200 thousand hectares of Ukrainian land. They are one of the top 10 largest taxpayers in the agricultural sector, having paid more than UAH 1.6 billion in taxes at various levels last year. And they are planning to expand their capacities. In particular, they plan to grow grain and potatoes in the western regions,” the Minister said.
Another example, according to him, is the Saudi company SALIC, which invested in one of the largest Ukrainian agricultural holdings, MHP, acquiring 12.6% of their shares. In particular, the Minister discussed possible expansion of cooperation with the CEO of SALIC.
“I am pleased that the Saudi side sees the prospects for development in Ukraine. We discussed with them the possibility of cooperation in growing crops, veterinary medicine, and feed production. The business also expressed interest in jointly developing beef cattle breeding and organic products. We will continue to work,” the minister summarized.
The Ukrainian government delegation to Saudi Arabia is preparing for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to the country, particularly in the economic sphere, with large-scale public-private partnership projects and “attractive privatization opportunities worth half a billion dollars” already presented, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Yulia Svyrydenko said.
“We started the working visit of the Ukrainian government delegation to Saudi Arabia with a meeting with almost a hundred local entrepreneurs (…) We presented projects in energy, agriculture, and infrastructure. As well as large-scale public-private partnership projects and attractive privatization opportunities totaling half a billion dollars in investment,” she wrote on her Facebook page on Sunday.
According to her, “dozens of meetings will be held in the coming days to prepare President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to Saudi Arabia.” In particular, important economic agreements with the countries of the region are being prepared for signing.
According to her, “dozens of meetings will be held in the coming days to prepare President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to Saudi Arabia.” In particular, important economic agreements with the countries of the region are being prepared for signing.
Svyrydenko noted that Saudi Arabia is now actively supporting Ukraine. They have allocated $500 million to support Ukraine’s recovery. “Now we can illustrate the call to invest in Ukraine without waiting for the end of the war with very specific businesses from Saudi Arabia. For example, FAS Energy, which invested in renewable energy in Ukraine. Or SALIC, which last year in September became a co-owner of one of the largest Ukrainian agricultural holdings, MHP, acquiring a 12.6% stake in the company. I am immensely grateful to all those companies that show leadership and that it is possible and necessary to invest in Ukraine now,” Svyrydenko said.
“I am convinced that we have prospects for even more active attraction of investments from the Middle East. Today, we have seen significant interest primarily in infrastructure projects, energy projects, proposals in the field of innovation, agribusiness, especially fertilizer production, where Saudi Arabia has expertise,” the Deputy Prime Minister added.
According to her, exports to Saudi Arabia increased from $291 million in 2023 to $368 million in 2024. “And we expect growth this year as well. We have not yet reached pre-war levels, but I hope we can achieve this, and such business forums will be worth it,” she emphasized.
Saudi Arabia has supported the idea of holding a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin on its territory and reaffirmed its ongoing efforts to achieve a lasting peace between Russia and Ukraine, the press service of the Saudi Foreign Ministry reported.
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia highly appreciates the telephone conversation held between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 12, as well as the announcement of the possibility of holding a summit between their esteemed two presidents in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” the statement said.
The ministry added that the Kingdom welcomes the summit in Saudi Arabia and reaffirms its ongoing efforts to achieve a lasting peace between Russia and Ukraine.
It is noted that on March 3, 2022, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the KSA Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, during telephone conversations with Putin and Zelensky, “expressed the Kingdom’s readiness to provide its mediation services to achieve a political settlement of the crisis.”
“Over the past three years, the Kingdom has continued these efforts, in particular by organizing numerous meetings on this issue,” the Foreign Ministry added.
