“Zelenskyy Visits Damascus to Expand Ukraine’s Military and Security Cooperation in the Middle East”

BY MIRABEL ODETA

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a significant visit to Damascus on April 5, where he met with Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa. The visit comes as Ukraine continues to share its military and defense expertise across the Middle East, amid ongoing tensions involving the United States, Israel, and Iran.

In recent weeks, Zelenskyy has traveled to multiple countries in the region, offering Ukrainian knowledge and strategies for countering drone and missile attacks. His efforts highlight Ukraine’s growing role as a provider of military experience in an area facing increased security challenges.

Since late February, when U.S. and Israeli forces carried out air strikes targeting Iran, Tehran has responded with missile and drone attacks on U.S. bases in the region, as well as on allied nations, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates. This escalation has intensified regional security concerns and has underscored the value of Ukraine’s recent experience in drone defense.

Historically, Iran and Russia have been closely aligned with the Assad regime in Syria, which ultimately collapsed in December 2024. During his visit, Zelenskyy noted that Syrian officials expressed strong interest in exchanging military and security expertise.

Zelenskyy shared that his talks included both bilateral meetings with Syrian officials and trilateral discussions involving Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. The discussions focused on strengthening security, fostering opportunities for societal development, and exploring collaborative solutions to shared challenges.

“We are building new relations, new opportunities, and expanding work for security,” Zelenskyy said, emphasizing that both nations aim to enhance defense cooperation and food security. Ukraine, a major global grain producer, has expressed its intention to export grain to Syria, helping to address critical food shortages in the country. Previously, Syria relied heavily on imports of Russian wheat, due in part to sanctions limiting trade from other countries.

In 2025, a major change occurred when U.S. sanctions on Syria were lifted, allowing the first shipments of Romanian barley to reach the country. Ukrainian officials highlighted the importance of secure logistics, trade, and maritime routes, framing these issues as a shared priority for regional stability.

Ukraine has also deployed specialized interceptor units to protect infrastructure in several Middle Eastern nations from Iranian drone attacks. Over the course of its conflict with Russia, Ukraine has gained extensive expertise in countering drones, including smaller unmanned aerial vehicles, through methods ranging from jamming technology to precision shooting. Russian forces have relied heavily on Iranian-designed “Shahed” drones in this conflict, which have also begun to appear in attacks across other nations in the region.

Zelenskyy highlighted that Gulf countries are increasingly facing similar challenges, underscoring the relevance of Ukraine’s experience. Ukraine has developed cost-effective drone interception technology, with some unmanned aerial vehicle systems capable of neutralizing threats for as little as $1,000 per unit.

During his Damascus visit, discussions also touched on Syria’s military infrastructure. Syria continues to host Russian military bases at Tartus and Khmeimim, though al-Sharaa has indicated a desire to transform these sites into Syrian army training centers.

Earlier, Zelenskyy visited Istanbul on April 4, where he explored potential joint gas infrastructure projects with Turkey, including possible collaborations in gas field development. Ukraine has also pursued long-term military cooperation agreements in the Gulf, signing deals with Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and engaging in discussions with the United Arab Emirates.

These developments illustrate Ukraine’s expanding diplomatic and military role in the Middle East, as it leverages its conflict experience to support regional partners and strengthen security frameworks across multiple nations.