The United Arab Emirates has suspended visa free travel for Ukrainians travelling to the Gulf monarchy, less than a week after the Russian invasion sparked a large-scale exodus of Ukrainian refugees from the conflict zone.
The Ukrainian embassy in the capital Abu Dhabi said the mutual cancellation of visa requirements had been temporarily ended on March 1, according to a notice on its Facebook page. An embassy official later confirmed the news. It does not affect Ukrainian residents living in the UAE.
The suspension of UAE visa waivers is the normal procedure during such “unforeseen crises”, said another official. Ukrainian tourists trapped in the Gulf state and unable to return home are being provided with free accommodation and meals, the official added.