Ukraine and Poland Collaborate to Evacuate 16 Ukrainian Citizens From the Middle East

In accordance with the directives of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs is actively facilitating the safe return of Ukrainian citizens from the Middle East.

On March 12, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that the evacuation process, personally overseen by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, is designed to ensure the protection of citizens' rights and their secure repatriation.

On March 11-12, 2026, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, in cooperation with Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, successfully evacuated 16 Ukrainian citizens from the Middle East to Warsaw.

“Ukrainian diplomats in Poland, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Kuwait ensured the evacuation of 16 Ukrainian citizens who found themselves in a difficult situation due to hostilities in the region,” the statement read.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its gratitude to Poland for its organizational support as part of the #PKWBliskiWschód initiative and acknowledged the European Union for its vital coordinating role.

This bilateral agreement is now serving as a model for broader European security efforts. On March 5, ten Northern European countries—Sweden, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, and Germany—signed an agreement aimed at creating coordinated plans for cross-border civilian evacuations in the event of war or regional crises.

Announced by the Swedish Ministry of Defense, the agreement seeks to establish a unified framework for civilian protection across the Baltic Sea and Scandinavian regions. Inspired by lessons learned from the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the signatory nations emphasized the importance of a structured approach to population movement as part of modern defense strategies.

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“The agreement provides the possibility to temporarily move people across borders in the event of a crisis or, in the worst case, war,” stated the Swedish Ministry of Defense. “The experience of Ukraine has shown that the temporary displacement of the population allows the defense of the country to continue while simultaneously protecting the civilian population.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine is also enhancing consular support for its citizens due to the escalating security situation involving Iran.

There are currently around 250,000 Ukrainian citizens in the region, and Ukrainian diplomats are already preparing various evacuation plans, as stated by Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on March 2.

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