President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Friday that Ukraine and Saudi Arabia have reached an important agreement on defense cooperation during his surprise visit to the kingdom.
In a Telegram post, Zelensky said the document was signed ahead of his meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
He added that the agreement lays the foundation for further contracts, technological cooperation, and investment, while strengthening Ukraine’s international role as a security donor.
Zelensky highlighted that Ukraine is ready to share its expertise and defense systems with Saudi Arabia and cooperate to strengthen the protection of lives.
“For the fifth year now, Ukrainians have been fighting against the same terrorist attacks with ballistic missiles and drones that the Iranian regime is currently carrying out in the Middle East and the Gulf region. And Saudi Arabia has what Ukraine is interested in. This cooperation can be mutually beneficial,” he said.
The parties also discussed the situation in the Middle East and the Gulf region more broadly, Russia’s assistance to the Iranian regime, the state of fuel markets, and possible energy cooperation between Kyiv and Riyadh.
Zelensky arrived in Saudi Arabia on Thursday for an unannounced visit and was welcomed by the crown prince.
He confirmed his arrival on social media, posting footage of the meeting but offering few details.
“Important meetings are scheduled. We appreciate the support and those ready to work with us to ensure security,” he wrote.
According to AFP, Ukraine and Saudi Arabia were expected to sign a security cooperation agreement focused in part on air defense. Kyiv has offered to deploy around 200 Ukrainian drone specialists to assist Gulf countries in countering aerial threats, drawing on its extensive experience defending against Iranian-designed Shahed drones used by Russia.
The visit comes amid escalating tensions in the region following a US-Israeli aerial campaign against Iran launched on Feb. 28. Nearly a month later, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several senior officials have reportedly been killed, while Tehran has retaliated with drone attacks targeting Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia.
Despite these losses, the Iranian regime continues to exert pressure on global energy markets, including by disrupting traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.