Abdelatty meets Russian, Ukrainian and Polish foreign ministers at Sir Bani Yas Forum

Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty met his Russian, Ukrainian and Polish counterparts on the sidelines of the Sir Bani Yas Forum in the United Arab Emirates, using the talks to press for a negotiated end to the war in Ukraine and to protect the grain supplies on which Egypt depends.

Abdelatty met Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on Friday 13 November, and Russia’s Sergei Lavrov and Poland’s Radosław Sikorski on Saturday 14 November, according to statements from foreign ministry spokesman Ambassador Nader Zaki. He also met Serbia’s Foreign Minister Marko Đurić.

Talks with Lavrov

With Lavrov, Abdelatty praised the strategic partnership between Egypt and Russia and pointed to the meeting between President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the third Russia-Africa summit in October.

The two discussed the effect of regional tensions on maritime security, international trade and food security. Abdelatty stressed the need for greater international efforts to secure shipping lanes and keep strategic goods flowing.

Ukraine and the Black Sea

In his meeting with Sybiha, Abdelatty said Egypt supported a peaceful settlement through dialogue and diplomacy that would end the conflict and its consequences, guarantee freedom of navigation in the Black Sea and keep grain supply chains stable. The two ministers said they wanted to expand ties in trade, food security and energy.

Abdelatty also told Sybiha that Egypt was keen to host a global centre for storing, supplying and trading grain, pointing to its geography, infrastructure and logistics.

He repeated Egypt’s call for a peaceful settlement in Ukraine and for freedom of navigation in the Black Sea when he met Sikorski.

Talks with Sikorski

Meeting Poland’s Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, Abdelatty expressed pride in the historic relations between Egypt and Poland, which will mark their centenary in 2027. The two ministers also discussed the war in Ukraine, with Abdelatty reiterating Egypt’s support for a peaceful settlement through dialogue and diplomacy that would end the conflict and its humanitarian and economic consequences, guarantee freedom of navigation in the Black Sea and keep grain supply chains stable.