President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky on April 13 listened to a report from the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov regarding the first stage of the Ukrainian delegation’s work in the Middle East and the Gulf region.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Ukrainian Military Expertise and Expanding Cooperation
The head of state emphasized that the combat experience of Ukrainian military personnel is recognized by partners from various countries. According to Zelensky, the Ukrainian side is ready to provide prompt assistance to states that support Ukraine’s independence, particularly in terms of protection against strike drones and addressing security issues in maritime spaces.
“It is important that Ukrainian military expertise is recognized, and the combat experience of our warriors becomes a strong part of the defense of our partners. Every nation deserves security, and we are ready to promptly and effectively support those who support our state and independence. This includes protection against strike and other types of drones in the sky, as well as addressing security tasks at sea,” Zelensky wrote on his social media.
The President highlighted that Ukraine’s experience in the Black Sea can be effectively applied to other strategically important maritime routes. Special attention is being paid to cooperation with countries in the Middle East and the Gulf.
Preparation of New Security Agreements and Expansion of Partnership Geography
Zelensky reported that Ukraine is actively negotiating security matters with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan, Turkey, Syria, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain. Additionally, Kyiv has received “requests for cooperation” from Iraq. Separately, the head of state mentioned discussions on the potential for joint work with countries in the Caucasus, as well as Eastern and Southeast Asia, and noted that substantive requests for cooperation are coming from African countries.
The President noted that work is ongoing to prepare the groundwork for deeper security agreements with European countries and expressed hope that initial results could be achieved as early as this week.
Zelensky instructed Rustem Umerov to finalize projects for several new security agreements and prepare them for signing, although he did not specify which countries these documents are planned to be concluded with.
Last week, the president announced a report from the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council regarding the results of negotiations with countries in the Middle East, the Persian Gulf, and adjacent regions concerning the export of Ukrainian security capabilities. According to him, countries in Asia are also showing interest in such cooperation.
At the beginning of March, Zelensky stated that Ukraine is ready to help countries in the Middle East defend against attacks from Iran, and Ukrainian experts will work directly on-site. On March 17, the head of state reported that already 201 Ukrainian experts on countering Iranian “Shahed” drones are in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf region.
Recent events in the Middle East have already affected the global fuel situation: many countries are feeling the impact of the crisis caused by the war in the region. This leads to energy supply disruptions, shutdowns of industrial enterprises, and cities being plunged into darkness.