Qatar and Ukraine signed a 10-year defense pact on Saturday, focusing on collaboration against missile and drone threats amid escalating Iranian airstrikes in the region. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, during his visit to Gulf states, also announced a defense agreement with the UAE and an air defense deal with Saudi Arabia.
Zelenskiy emphasized Ukraine’s aim to build long-term relationships with Middle Eastern countries, prioritizing joint production, energy cooperation, and sharing battlefield experiences rather than mere sales. He indicated Ukraine’s need for advanced air defense missiles from these Gulf states to combat Russian attacks, particularly as it seeks to counter rising oil prices and potential limitations on Western arms supplies.
In parallel, recent Russian airstrikes in Ukraine resulted in casualties and damaged vital infrastructure. Ukraine responded with a nighttime assault on a significant Russian oil refinery. Amid these tensions, Iran claimed it attacked a Ukraine-linked drone warehouse in Dubai, a statement that Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry has refuted.
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