Zelensky visits UAE, Qatar for air security talks with Gulf

KYIV: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that his country and the United Arab Emirates have agreed to cooperate on defence amid Iran’s drone strikes across the Gulf, before heading to regional neighbour Qatar.

Zelensky has embarked on the previously unannounced tour across the Gulf, visiting Saudi Arabia earlier this week, as the region faces Iranian drones launched by Tehran in retaliation for US-Israeli strikes.

Kyiv has sought to leverage its expertise in downing Russian drones to help Gulf nations and has deployed anti-drone experts to Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar.

After talks in Saudi Arabia on Thursday, where Zelensky announced a defence agreement with Riyadh, he held talks in the UAE with Emirati President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

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“We agreed to cooperate in the field of security and defence. Our teams will finalise the details,” Zelensky said on social media.

“For all normal states, it is important to ensure stability and protect lives amid today’s threats. Ukraine has relevant expertise in this area,” he said.

Also Saturday, Zelensky said on social media he had “arrived in Qatar. Real security is built on partnership – we value everyone and remain open to supporting all those who are ready to work together for this goal.”

The visit was confirmed by the Gulf nation’s state news agency.

Ukraine touts its anti-drone defences as the best in the world.

It has proposed swapping its interceptors for vastly more expensive air-defence missiles that Gulf countries are using to down Iranian drones. Kyiv says it needs more of them to fend off near-daily Russian missile attacks.

“Protection must be sufficient everywhere. That is why we are open to joint work that, in a strategic perspective, will certainly strengthen our peoples and the protection of life in our countries,” Zelensky said on Saturday.

In the UAE, Zelensky met with Ukrainian anti-drone experts, who “have been working here to help in protecting lives”.

“Today, Ukraine not only needs assistance but is also ready to support those who support us,” Zelensky said.