Ukraine concludes a cooperation pact with Saudi Arabia, in the field of defense. Zelensky: “Our technology and their funding”
Ukraine signed a defense cooperation pact with Saudi Arabia on Friday, in the context in which the Gulf countries are heading to Kiev to obtain assistance in defense against drone attacks from Iran, reports POLITICO, taken by News.ro.
President Volodymyr Zelensky personally attended the signing of the agreement with senior Saudi officials during his two-day visit to Riyadh.
The agreement “lays the groundwork for future contracts, technological cooperation and investments. It also strengthens Ukraine's international role as a security donor,” Zelensky announced Friday morning.
“We are ready to share our experience and systems with Saudi Arabia and collaborate to strengthen the protection of lives. Now in its fifth year (of war), Ukraine is resisting the same type of terrorist attacks – ballistic missiles and drones – that the Iranian regime is currently carrying out in the Middle East and the Gulf region,” Zelensky said.
Kiev offered its expertise in drone warfare
“Saudi Arabia also has capabilities that are of interest to Ukraine, and this cooperation can be mutually beneficial,” he added, without giving details.
Since the start of the US-Israel war against Iran in February, Saudi Arabia – along with many other countries in the Gulf and Middle East – has suffered retaliatory Iranian drone attacks against energy, military and civilian infrastructure.
Ukraine is one of the only countries in the world that has lived under the massive invasion of Russian drone swarms since 2022 and has learned how to repel the attacks, using cheap interceptor drones that are manufactured in the country.
Since the start of the war with Iran, Kiev has promoted its unique expertise and interceptors in Middle Eastern countries, which use expensive PAC-3 missiles and other missiles that Ukraine does not have, to shoot down Iranian drones.
Ukraine has also sent more than 200 of its own anti-drone experts to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. About 30 others were heading to Jordan and Kuwait, Zelenski told reporters in a WhatsApp chat last week.
“I would like to mention that, by the way, local air defense specialists are at a fairly high level, but they mainly deal with ballistic threats. As for short-range air defense – how to counter massive attacks with “Shahed” (Iranian-made kamikaze drones) – I think no one has the solution,” Zelensky said.
The exchange Zelenski wants
On another occasion, Zelenskiy said he would gladly trade Ukraine's interception drones and experience for PAC-3 missiles, which the Gulf countries have in abundance. In the early days of the war, these countries used more than 800 PAC missiles, while Kiev has received only about 600 since 2022, according to an article in The New York Times.
Ukraine is to sign other agreements in the region, according to Zelensky.
“They (Middle East and Gulf countries) have solid financial resources and experience in dealing with ballistic threats, but they need our expertise in combating drones. This includes all types of drones, the 'Shahed' drones that cause serious damage to infrastructure and the FPV drones that are now being used for targeted attacks on military bases and equipment in the region,” Zelenskiy said in a video address to the Joint Expeditionary Force conference on Thursday. (JEF), which discussed countering Russia.
“The first agreements have already been prepared by our teams. Ukraine has the world's most extensive experience in the use of drones. We offer the countries of the Middle East and the Gulf a partnership that benefits both sides: our knowledge and technology and their funding. And we are working to make this possible. Our contribution to security in that region will also be a real contribution to global security,” added Zelensky.
