Ukraine Agrees to Mutually Beneficial Defense Deals With Gulf Arab States

“In terms of expertise, no one today can help the way Ukraine can,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said after his visit to the Middle East, referring to defenses against the Shahed drones employed by both Iran and Russia.

Zelenskyy’s tour last week, amid the ongoing war against the clerical regime in Tehran, concluded with 10-year defense cooperation agreements with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The United States should view the development positively, as it demonstrates Ukraine’s utility as an ally and further drives a wedge between Russia and the Gulf states.

Zelenskyy: Experience Is Ukraine’s ‘Most Valuable Asset’

On March 27, Zelenskyy and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman signed an agreement that “lays the foundation for further contracts, technological cooperation, and investment.” In Doha, Zelenskyy and Qatari Prime Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani agreed on a 10-year defense sector partnership, which “provides for joint defense industry projects, the establishment of co-production facilities, and technological partnerships between companies.” UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Zelenskyy agreed to “cooperate in the field of security and defense,” but details of a deal are still to be finalized.

Zelenskyy also met with members of the more than 200 Ukrainian counter-drone experts who have been dispatched to the Middle East to help countries fend off Iranian attacks. He later revealed that Kyiv was holding discussions with Kuwait and Jordan and had fielded “requests from Bahrain and Oman.”

Ukraine’s Deals With Arab states Show the U.S. Alliance System at Work

The agreements between Kyiv and the Arab states expand on America’s push to integrate regional air defenses. U.S.-provided systems in the Gulf, such as THAAD and the Patriot missile systems, are optimized for ballistic missile threats, but the region is being targeted extensively by low-cost drones. There have been instances in which Gulf states confirmed using Patriot missiles to shoot down Iranian drones.

Ukraine has developed and begun exporting low-cost counter-drone systems like Sting, designed in response to Russia’s reengineered Shahed-type drones. These systems could help Gulf states protect critical sites, especially energy infrastructure and civilian areas that fall outside the coverage of U.S.-provided point defense systems, which are primarily positioned around American bases in the region.

For Ukraine, these agreements could open pathways to long-term financial support. Zelenskyy also hopes to acquire PAC-3 missiles for the Patriot air defense system, which Ukraine relies upon to counter Russian ballistic missiles. Likewise, Ukraine is looking to address energy shortages caused by Russia’s destruction of Ukraine’s domestic refining capacity. Zelenskyy announced that he had reached an agreement with an unnamed country to supply Ukraine with a year’s supply of diesel, which is essential for powering military and agricultural equipment.

Russia Clearly Siding With Iran Over the Gulf

While Russia has not publicly commented on the deals, Moscow has unequivocally sided with Iran over the security of the Gulf states. Last week, Western intelligence revealed that Russia had sent shipments of one-way attack drones to Iran, which the Islamic Republic launches toward America’s Gulf partners. Western officials say Russia has also supplied intelligence to help Iran target American forces, as well as guidance related to drone employment and electronic warfare.

Washington Should Push Gulf States Away from Moscow

The United States should make clear to its Gulf partners that Russia is actively enabling Iran’s ability to target their countries. If Gulf states want to reduce the risk of further strikes, the path runs through reinforcing their credibility as U.S. allies and distancing themselves from both Tehran and Moscow.

Abu Dhabi has signaled a willingness to crack down on Iranian networks operating on its soil and should apply the same standard to Russian ones. The UAE should crack down on Russian evasion of Western sanctions and export controls, limit the activities of Russian state-owned energy actors, and curb the use of Emirati ports by Russia’s shadow fleet.

Ahmad Sharawi is a senior research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), focusing on Iranian intervention in Arab affairs and the Levant. Dmitriy Shapiro is a research analyst and editor at FDD. For more analysis from the authors, please subscribe HERE. Follow Ahmad on X @AhmadA_Sharawi. Follow Dmitriy on X @dmitriyshapiro. Follow FDD on X @FDD. FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute focusing on foreign policy and national security.