Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy arrived in Qatar on Saturday, capping a surprise tour of the Gulf that included visits to Saudi Arabia and the UAE. In Riyadh, Ukraine and Saudi Arabia signed a framework defence cooperation agreement ahead of meetings between Zelenskiy and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Zelenskiy said the deal “lays the foundation for future contracts, technological cooperation and investments” and stressed Ukraine is ready to share its air-defence expertise and systems with Gulf allies to “strengthen the protection of lives”. He noted that Saudi Arabia likewise “has capabilities … of interest to Ukraine” and that the partnership “can be mutually beneficial”.
In recent weeks Ukraine has dispatched more than 220 air-defence specialists to Gulf countries under fire, including Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, to help them counter Iranian Shahed drones.
Zelenskiy told reporters Kyiv was offering its hard-won experience in downing attacking drones. “We have sent our teams – three professional, equipped teams – to Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia,” he said, adding that Ukraine expects “money and technology in return for the assistance”.
In a recent comment he framed the arrangement as a trade: Ukraine would provide interceptor drones if Gulf partners supplied advanced air-defence missiles that Ukraine lacks.
Kyiv officials argue that deepening ties with wealthy Gulf states could help Ukraine plug gaps in its own air defences against Russia. Zelenskiy noted that U.S. Patriot and other high-end air-defence missiles are in short supply as American forces and Gulf allies fight Iran’s attacks. Reuters reported that Washington has even weighed redirecting some weapons earmarked for Ukraine to the Middle East war, straining U.S. munitions stocks. Against this backdrop, Ukraine hopes Gulf governments will invest in Ukrainian air-defence capabilities or provide their own systems, giving Ukraine much‑needed protection at home.
Iran’s Strike Claim and Kyiv’s Denial
Separately, Iranian state media on Saturday carried a statement from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claiming it had struck a Dubai warehouse “stockpiling Ukrainian counter‑drone systems” used to help the US military. The IRGC spokesman said the depot was “targeted and destroyed” in a combined aerospace and naval operation, and that 21 Ukrainians were present at the site. The release added that it had “no information” on the fate of the Ukrainian personnel, who were “likely killed”.
Kyiv immediately rejected Iran’s report. Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhiy told journalists the claims were “a lie” and “disinformation”. He said Ukraine had “no knowledge of any such strike” and officially denied any Ukrainian systems had been destroyed. Ukrainian officials noted that Iran has previously threatened Kyiv for supplying drone interceptors to Israel, and they warned that Iran’s statements often serve as propaganda rather than verified fact.
