Ukraine on Friday signed a landmark defence cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia during a two-day visit of President Volodymyr Zelensky to Riyadh, which includes a meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The agreement covers technological collaboration, defence contracts and long-term strategic investment.
Kyiv brings to the table its battle-tested expertise in repelling drone attacks, and it expects Saudi Arabia to provide financial backing and also access to advanced air defence capabilities. The partnership, if it progresses satisfactorily, could change the security landscape across the Middle East.
Riyadh is keen to tap into Ukrainian expertise as it grows increasingly worried about the US–Israeli war against Iran. Tehran has launched retaliatory drone and ballistic missile strikes across the Gulf region, alarming Riyadh and other regions capitals. While Iran insists the strikes are aimed at American assets, Gulf governments say civilians are increasingly at risk, with at least 25 people reported killed so far, including two recent deaths in the United Arab Emirates.
Washington has responded by expanding its military presence in the region. The administration of Donald Trump is all set to deploy roughly 5,000 Marines and paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division and is reportedly considering sending as many as 10,000 more. Yet military analysts argue that these deployments are intended for limited, high-impact operations—such as securing the Strait of Hormuz or targeting Iran’s Kharg Island, a major export hub for Iranian crude—rather than a full-scale ground invasion, which would require far larger forces. At the same time, Washington claims peace efforts are progressing, even as Tehran denies that any direct negotiations are taking place.
For Gulf countries, the most immediate threat has come from drones. In the early weeks of the conflict alone, regional forces reportedly used more than 800 expensive PAC-3 interceptor missiles to shoot down incoming threats. While Gulf air defence systems are highly effective against ballistic missiles, they remain less prepared for large swarms of low-cost Iranian-made Shahed drones and FPV drones, which are now being used to target military bases and energy infrastructure across the region.
Ukraine, however, has spent the past three years developing a far more sustainable and cost-effective approach to short-range air defence. Since 2022, Russia has launched massive waves of drones against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure—more than 19,000 drones this winter alone, including nearly 1,000 in a single day. In response, Kyiv has refined a system that relies not only on missiles but also on cheap interceptor drones, real-time tracking, integrated radar and rapid tactical adaptation.
Ukrainian officials say the country has already sent more than 200 anti-drone specialists to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, with additional teams expected to deploy to Kuwait and Jordan. Although operating in the Middle East brings new challenges, including extreme heat and sandstorms, Ukrainian commanders insist that the most decisive factor remains the experience of drone pilots trained under real combat conditions.
For Ukraine, the agreement is driven as much by necessity as by strategy. Kyiv continues to face severe shortages of advanced air defence missiles and has received only a limited number of PAC-3 interceptors since 2022. Zelenskyy has repeatedly signalled that Ukraine is ready to trade its technological expertise and battlefield experience in exchange for missiles and financial support from Gulf countries that possess both in abundance.
As the conflict with Iran stretches US military resources, the Pentagon is reportedly considering redirecting weapons originally meant for Ukraine to the Middle East. At the same time, Russian forces are intensifying their offensives, US-backed peace efforts have stalled and a crucial €90 billion European Union loan package was recently blocked by Hungary. Taken together, these developments have forced Kyiv to search for new strategic partners beyond Europe and North America.
The agreement with Saudi Arabia is already triggering interest from the private sector. Ukrainian electronic warfare and drone manufacturers—including firms specialising in counter-drone technology—say they are being actively approached by representatives from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE. Most are now waiting for formal export approval from the Ukrainian government, which remains cautious about transferring technologies that are central to Ukraine’s own defence.
Ultimately, the partnership reflects a broader shift in global security politics. By helping Middle Eastern states build systems capable of detecting and neutralising drone attacks in real time, Ukraine is not only supporting regional stability and protecting vital trade routes. It is also attempting to reposition itself as a security provider rather than merely a country dependent on foreign assistance—a subtle but important change in how Kyiv wants the world to see it.