Diplomacy in Times of Global Change: Reflecting on Ukraine’s Enduring Outreach to Kuwait

By Dr. Oleksandr Balanutsa,
Ambassador of Ukraine to the State of Kuwait

As the Ambassador of Ukraine to the State of Kuwait, I embarked on my journey in 2019, eager to serve my country in this prestigious role. Reflecting on the past five years, my tenure has been a vibrant tapestry of engagements aimed at strengthening the ties between Ukraine and Kuwait across various sectors including political, economic, technological, academic, and cultural spheres. I have been fortunate to work with a dedicated team, whose efforts have been significant in realizing Ukraine’s vision for the development of bilateral relations between our two friendly nations.

However, when I assumed my duties, I was initially unaware of the professional challenges that awaited me. The advent of COVID-19 transformed the landscape of diplomacy, compelling us to pivot to virtual platforms for representation, protection, and promotion of Ukraine’s interests in Kuwait amidst restrictions on physical meetings and public gatherings. During this period, we successfully organized approximately 10 virtual conferences and B2B online meetings, fostering connections between Ukrainian businesses and Kuwaiti importers and entrepreneurs.

In 2020, we launched two literary initiatives: a memory book in Arabic commemorating the tenure of the renowned Ukrainian football coach, Valeriy Lobanovsiky, in Kuwait, and a collection of Kuwaiti short stories translated into Ukrainian. These projects, completed over three years, were presented to Kuwait in 2023 as a gesture of friendship from the Ukrainian people on the 30th anniversary of our diplomatic relations. This milestone was further celebrated by a visit from Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dmytro Kuleba, who engaged in productive discussions with his counterpart, Sheikh Salem Al-Sabah.

It was the first time in my role as Ambassador that I was tasked with organizing the visit of Rustem Umerov, who was at that time the Special Envoy of the President of Ukraine, to Kuwait during a tumultuous period marked by the outbreak of large-scale aggression against Ukraine on 24 February, 2022. That Black Thursday underscored a shift to wartime diplomacy, a realm for which no diplomat is truly prepared. Amidst the existential crisis, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, along with Ukrainian Embassies abroad, emerged as beacons of hope, rallying international support and emphasizing the importance of upholding international law.

I am deeply grateful to Kuwait for its humanitarian assistance and steadfast support at the United Nations and through other international organizations, which has been crucial for Ukraine. I would also like to extend my heartfelt thanks to my esteemed colleagues from the diplomatic community here in Kuwait. Representing every continent — from Europe, Africa, and Asia to North and South America, as well as Australia — they have been indispensable and tireless in their support of our diplomatic efforts.

Despite the ongoing challenges facing my country, I remain optimistic about the future of Ukraine-Kuwait relations. Over my five-year tenure, which saw both a global pandemic and significant geopolitical turmoil, we managed to host two ‘Weeks of Ukraine in Kuwait’ in 2020 and 2022. These events included over 20 activities over 14 days and attracted hundreds of visitors and dozens of participants, showcasing Ukrainian innovation in sectors such as business, healthcare, technology, arts, fashion, and sports. We also expanded academic cooperation through a series of online and offline events such as educational exhibitions and TV-bridges, and hosted a significant three-month-long online exhibition ‘Ukraine Exports 2024’ on the atexpo.online platform, featuring over 120 Ukrainian companies.

Perhaps the only initiative that I was not able to see through to completion as Ambassador was the establishment of direct flights between Ukraine and Kuwait.

We had successfully negotiated agreements with three airlines — both Ukrainian and Kuwaiti — to initiate direct flights to Kyiv, Lviv, and Odessa. However, the onset of COVID-19 followed by the large-scale aggression against Ukraine has, thus far, prevented us from launching these flights.

Nevertheless, our robust engagement has led to a substantial increase in bilateral trade turnover, growing from USD 42.5 million in 2019 to USD 118.8 million in 2023. This is a testament to the immense potential yet to be unveiled in Ukrainian-Kuwaiti relations.

In conclusion, I am guided by the words of the esteemed Ukrainian diplomat, Hennadiy Udovenko, who has coined a formula of the three ‘P’: probity, patriotism, and professionalism. This philosophy will continue to inspire my endeavors, regardless of where my career may lead, as I strive for a peaceful and prosperous future for Ukraine.