Ukrainian leader tours Middle East to expand drone defense partnerships while strikes hit Odesa, Kryvyi Rih, and Poltava
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy traveled to the United Arab Emirates and Qatar on Saturday to strengthen defense cooperation as Russian drone strikes overnight killed at least five people across Ukraine, officials said.
The visits, which were not publicly announced in advance, come as Kyiv works to expand its role in countering Iranian-linked drone threats in the Middle East while continuing to defend against Russia’s ongoing aerial assaults.
Zelenskyy confirmed that Ukraine has already secured long-term security agreements with Saudi Arabia and Qatar and is preparing to finalize a similar arrangement with the UAE. The agreements include cooperation in defense production, investment, and technology sharing, particularly focused on drone interception systems developed during Ukraine’s war with Russia.
During meetings in Abu Dhabi, Zelenskyy and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan discussed regional security concerns tied to the Iran conflict, including drone attacks and disruptions to maritime routes. Zelenskyy later traveled to Doha, where he met with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.
Officials in Qatar said the two countries signed defense cooperation agreements covering joint industry projects, co-production initiatives, and expanded military collaboration.
“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,” Zelenskyy said in a message accompanying footage of his arrival in Qatar.
Ukraine has positioned its drone defense systems as a central offering to Gulf nations facing increased threats tied to the regional conflict. Zelenskyy said Kyiv is already assisting five countries—the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and Jordan—in countering drone attacks.
“For Ukraine, this is also a matter of principle: terror must not prevail anywhere in the world. Protection must be sufficient everywhere,” he said following his meeting in the UAE, adding that discussions also addressed “the security situation in the Emirates, Iranian strikes, and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which directly affects the global oil market.”
In exchange, Ukraine is seeking advanced air-defense systems from Gulf partners, including high-end missile platforms needed to counter continued Russian strikes.
Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine is pursuing broader strategic relationships in the region beyond weapons transfers, including joint manufacturing, energy cooperation, and long-term investment partnerships. “Simple sales do not interest us,” he said during a virtual briefing.
His remarks come amid concerns that the Middle East conflict, which began Feb. 28 with joint U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, could shift global military resources and attention away from Ukraine. Zelenskyy said Kyiv has received “no signals” that Western-supplied weapons would be diverted from Ukraine to other theaters.
Even as diplomatic outreach continued, Ukraine faced another large-scale attack overnight. Authorities reported that Russia launched more than 270 drones, striking multiple regions.
In the southern port city of Odesa, two people were killed and at least 11 injured when drones struck residential areas and damaged a maternity hospital and private homes, according to regional officials. Zelenskyy said the attack involved more than 60 drones.
In central Ukraine, two men were killed and two others wounded in Kryvyi Rih after a drone struck an industrial facility, local authorities said. Another fatality was reported in the Poltava region, where strikes hit energy infrastructure, including a facility operated by the state gas company Naftogaz.
Ukraine’s air force said it intercepted or disrupted 252 of the 273 drones launched during the night.
Meanwhile, Russian officials reported that Ukrainian drone attacks killed a child in the Yaroslavl region after a strike hit a residential building. Authorities said the child’s parents were hospitalized with serious injuries. Russia’s Defense Ministry stated that 155 Ukrainian drones were shot down over Russian territory and the annexed Crimean Peninsula.
The escalation underscores the continued intensity of the war in Ukraine as Zelenskyy simultaneously seeks to expand defense partnerships abroad while responding to ongoing attacks at home.
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