PAKISTAN and Ukraine have agreed to expand cooperation in all areas of mutual benefit including trade, investment, agriculture, food security, defence cooperation, cultural exchanges and people to people contacts. Consensus to this effect was reached during talks of Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba with Pakistani leadership when the two sides agreed on the importance of regular dialogue and engagements to further strengthen the bilateral ties.
The Russia-Ukraine war presented a challenging situation to Pakistan as the country had always maintained excellent relations with Ukraine and was also keen on strengthening ties with Moscow because of emerging regional and global scenarios. Recent agreements and tangible moves to bolster ties with the Russian Federation and the fruitful visit of the Ukrainian Foreign Minister to Pakistan in the midst of the crisis confirm that Pakistan has been able to maintain the delicate balance. Despite pressures and its vulnerable position, Islamabad has not allowed itself to be drawn into the conflict and has successfully demonstrated its neutrality in the ongoing war, maintaining close relations with the two countries. Indian media, known for mischief mongering, had been propagating that Pakistan was providing ammunition to Ukraine through an air bridge created by the United Kingdom, as part of its efforts to undermine growing Pak-Russia cooperative relationship. However, both Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and his Ukrainian counterpart firmly rejected such reports with the former emphasizing that Pakistan has all along had a principled, consistent and non-partisan stance on the issue. The visiting FM acknowledged that his country wanted Pakistan to be on its side but Islamabad laid stress on augmenting humanitarian supplies and efforts for peaceful resolution of the conflict. Mr Bilawal rightly pointed out that war does not stop life, and we should look into the future by boosting trade, solving the existing problems of Pakistani students who studied in Ukraine, helping in digitalisation of state services and learning how to reinvigorate relations.
