Ukraine signed a defense cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia, Zelensky says.
Reporting from Kyiv, Ukraine,
3.27.26,
8:11 am; from The New York Times
Ukraine has signed a defense cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday, laying the groundwork for future contracts in which Ukrainian companies could help the kingdom with its air defenses.
“We have reached an important arrangement,” Mr. Zelensky said on social media, adding that Ukraine was ready for long-term cooperation and hoped to become a force in global defense contracting.
The signing took place before a meeting on Friday between Mr. Zelensky and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto Saudi ruler. The leaders met in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to discuss the escalating tensions in the Middle East and the war in Ukraine.
For years, Ukraine has been refining methods for combating Iranian-designed Shahed drones, which Russia launches into the country by the thousands each month. After the United States and Israel began attacking Iran late last month, the Iranian armed forces retaliated by firing these drones at U.S. allies in the region, including Saudi Arabia.
To defend against the drones, Middle Eastern countries used costly interceptor missiles. But it became clear that even the most advanced and expensive air defense systems would struggle, over time, to counter large volumes of far cheaper drones.
The Iran conflict has given Ukraine an opportunity to showcase its battle-tested technology and present itself as a valuable partner as countries look to shore up their defenses. A number of Ukrainian companies are pursuing deals with Middle Eastern countries, particularly for interceptor drones.
That these drones can be remotely piloted has become a central selling point. Officials say that Ukrainian companies would not just sell the hardware but also provide software updates and skilled operators who would work from Ukraine.
Ukrainian military experts have been in Saudi Arabia for the past week consulting on air defense. Mr. Zelensky has said Ukraine would like to explore trades with Middle Eastern nations for advanced air-defense systems that the country needs itself.
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