Qatar and Ukraine signal defence settlement as Zelenskyy’s Gulf tour shapes new partnerships

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Revealed on 28/03/2026 - 11:35 GMT+1 • Up to date 17:18

Qatar and Ukraine signed a defence settlement on Saturday throughout a go to by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Doha, the most recent cease on his tour of Gulf international locations to debate Kyiv's help in countering Iranian drones and establishing new partnerships within the area.

Zelenskyy was in Doha following visits to Saudi Arabia on Thursday and the United Arab Emirates on Friday. Earlier on Saturday, he mentioned Ukraine and the UAE had additionally agreed to cooperate on defence.

Ukrainian defence specialists have been serving to to defend international locations of the area, as Iran continues its aerial marketing campaign in opposition to its neighbours within the Gulf which started after the US and Israel commenced army operations in opposition to Tehran a month in the past.

Ukraine’s president earlier confirmed that Qatar, along with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait, despatched official requests relating to attainable cooperation with Ukraine over its drone-countering experience.

Ukraine has despatched greater than 200 of its personal drone-countering specialists to the area, saying some 30 extra had been heading to Jordan and Kuwait, Zelenskyy advised reporters by way of WhatsApp chat final week.

On Friday Zelenskyy visited the UAE, his workplace confirmed, with out specifying the precise location.

After the assembly with the president of the UAE, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Zelenskyy mentioned for Ukraine “it's a matter of precept: terror should not prevail anyplace on this planet.”

“Safety have to be ample in all places. That's the reason we're open to joint work that, in a strategic perspective, will definitely strengthen our peoples and the safety of life in our international locations.”

Ukraine’s president repeatedly mentioned that what Ukraine wants in the beginning is air defence from Russia’s ballistic missiles.

In trade Kyiv is able to share its experience and expertise in countering Iranian drones, which have been attacking Ukraine in tons of for over 4 years of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

On Tuesday Russia launched nearly 1,000 drones in opposition to Ukraine inside 24 hours, making it certainly one of Moscow’s largest aerial assaults for the reason that starting of the full-scale invasion.

“Ukraine has related experience on this space – our cities, sadly, have been below every day assault for 4 years of full-scale struggle. Ukrainians have developed an acceptable safety system that delivers a major interception charge in opposition to enemy drones and missiles.”

Zelenskyy’s go to to the Gulf area comes at a second of power for Kyiv, as Ukraine's air defences achieved a formidable 97% interception charge in opposition to Russian drones within the newest Moscow assault.

As in Saudi Arabia on Thursday, Zelenskyy additionally met Ukrainian drone specialists deployed to the UAE on Friday, saying that they had been engaged on the bottom there “for a number of weeks” now.

"There's already a transparent understanding of how the safety of airspace and demanding infrastructure within the Emirates could be strengthened by integrating Ukrainian expertise. This issues complete options which have confirmed their effectiveness.”

It's unclear if any defence agreements have been signed with the UAE. Kyiv did announce a defence cooperation doc signed with Saudi Arabia earlier this week throughout Zelenskyy’s go to to Jeddah.

Qatar is of serious significance to Ukraine. The nation has established itself as one of many principal mediators on humanitarian elements amid Russia’s all-out struggle in opposition to Ukraine.

Qatar helped facilitate the return of dozens of Ukrainian youngsters forcefully deported by Russia for the reason that starting of the full-scale invasion in 2022. Qatar additionally mediated the return of Ukrainian prisoners of struggle.