Dnipropetrovsk Investment Agency DIA presents an overview of the level of cooperation between Ukraine and Dnipropetrovsk region and other countries amid russia’s unprovoked military aggression against our state. This publication provides information on the support provided by Saudi Arabia and on the level of foreign trade, prepared on the basis of DIABASE data.

Saudi Arabia continues to provide humanitarian aid to Ukraine, focusing primarily on healthcare, rehabilitation of war victims, housing repairs, and preparing vulnerable families for winter. In 2026, relations between the two countries reached a new level: in addition to humanitarian programs, cooperation has expanded to the areas of security, energy, and food security.

The Kingdom provides assistance mainly through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) in partnership with UN agencies. This makes it possible to direct funds to specific needs – from medical equipment to support for families who have lost their homes.

In January 2026, KSrelief, together with the World Health Organization, handed over medical equipment to hospitals near the front line: 15 anesthesia machines, 8 monitor-defibrillators, 15 electrosurgical units, 15 blood warmers, 7 automated biochemistry analyzers, and a microbiology analyzer. Medical staff were trained to operate the new equipment. The equipment is expected to improve access to medical services for more than 10 million people in frontline areas.

Funded by KSrelief, the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) has been implementing a program worth over $5 million for four hospitals in Kharkiv region since September 2025. In June 2026, the Izium Central City Hospital received the first batch of equipment: a biochemistry analyzer, a refrigerator for blood and reagents, and a plasma freezer. In September, a mobile X-ray system and a C-arm surgical X-ray unit were delivered to hospitals in the region. The program is expected to improve access to medical care for about 150,000 people.

On September 25, 2026, KSrelief and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched a 15-month, $5 million program to support the civilian healthcare system. It covers four hub hospitals: two in Kyiv region and one each in Odesa and Dnipropetrovsk regions. From Dnipropetrovsk region, the Mechnikov Regional Hospital was included in the program. The funds will be directed to maternity and neonatology, pediatric intensive care, surgery, traumatology, diagnostics, and emergency care departments. The program provides for the procurement and installation of equipment, staff training, and warranty maintenance.

KSrelief also helps Ukrainians who have lost limbs as a result of the war. In Rzeszów, Poland, the Centre organizes prosthetic medical missions: in November 2025, eight volunteers provided prostheses to 20 Ukrainians, and in July 2026 a new phase of the program was launched.

On September 28, 2026, KSrelief and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) signed an agreement to allocate $2.1 million to Ukraine. The funds will be used for urgent housing repair materials, as well as heating and home insulation kits in 10 regions. More than 14,100 internally displaced persons and other war-affected people will receive assistance.

On March 26–27, 2026, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Jeddah and met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud. Ahead of the meeting, the defense ministries of the two countries signed an arrangement on defense cooperation. It lays the groundwork for future contracts, technological partnership, and investment. Against the backdrop of Iranian attacks on Gulf states, the parties discussed Ukraine’s experience in countering drones and missiles, as well as the situation on fuel markets and possible energy cooperation.

During the next meeting in Jeddah on April 24, the parties identified three areas of strategic cooperation: export of Ukrainian security expertise and air defense capabilities, energy, and food security. On August 10, the leaders discussed the next steps within the state initiative Drone Deal.

Saudi Arabia is one of the trading partners of Dnipropetrovsk region in the Middle East market. The region’s exports to the Kingdom are mainly made up of fats and vegetable oils, ferrous metal products, parts of railway locomotives, and other products.

Based on the results of the first nine months of 2025, exports of goods from Dnipropetrovsk region to Saudi Arabia amounted to $10.56 million, which is 8% less compared to the same period of the previous year. The region’s share in Ukraine’s total exports to Saudi Arabia was 3.8%.

More than 20 enterprises of Dnipropetrovsk region exported their products to the Saudi market, including enterprises of the metallurgical complex, food industry, agro-industrial complex, and machine-building enterprises.

In terms of the volume of exported products, the TOP-5 included the following enterprises:

In turn, more than 30 importing enterprises of the region purchased Saudi goods, mainly plastics and polymeric materials, organic chemical compounds, tanning extracts, and others. Imports of goods from the KSA to Dnipropetrovsk region decreased by 23% and amounted to $10.68 million. The region’s share is 5.9% of Ukraine’s total imports from Saudi Arabia.

In terms of the volume of imported products, the TOP-5 included the following importing enterprises:

Import operations were mainly carried out by enterprises of the chemical and processing industries and trading companies.

Source: information for this article was obtained from open online sources.