What Ukraine got from the Gulf countries in exchange for expertise in drone warfare. Solving a major problem for the Kiev army
Ukraine will receive much-needed fossil fuels from the Gulf countries in exchange for the defense assistance they offer, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said, reports POLITICO, quoted by News.ro.
Kiev signed defense pacts with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates in March, but details of those agreements were not disclosed at the time. At the time, swarms of Iranian drones were striking the region in response to American and Israeli attacks.
Washington's Middle Eastern allies turned to Kiev for help – they wanted Ukraine's experience in combating drones, accumulated during the four years of war with Russia.
Last month, Zelenskiy sent more than 200 Ukrainian soldiers from his anti-drone units to the Middle East to help those countries repel Iran's cheap Shahed drones — a variant of the ones Ukraine has faced from Russia.
Europe will refine oil sent to Ukraine from the Gulf
On Friday, Zelenskiy explained the defense agreements in a press conference. “We have signed ten-year agreements with three countries,” he said, adding that in exchange for sharing its combat experience, Kiev would receive interceptor missiles, financial assistance and, most importantly, supplies of oil and diesel.
“In some cases, we receive crude oil that will be delivered to refineries in Europe for processing,” Zelenski said. “In others, we are talking about finished products – diesel”, he announced.
Kiev is facing a massive fuel shortage due to persistent Russian attacks on fuel depots and the danger of keeping massive amounts of fuel in a country under attack.
Ukrainian gas prices have also skyrocketed, while the government has admitted it relies on foreign suppliers for around 85% of its fuel stocks. POLITICO previously reported how Ukrainian soldiers ration diesel — used to fuel heavier war machines like tanks and other armored vehicles on the front lines.
Zelenski added that he has secured enough fuel for next year and that similar agreements are being negotiated with Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain.
