Zelensky "signs the deal" for Gulf defense, with some analysts saying this move is "quite risky"

This article is reproduced from [Xinhua Net];

Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, March 29—Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on the 28th that Ukraine has recently reached long-term defense cooperation agreements with multiple Gulf countries, “undoubtedly changing the geopolitical situation in this region.” The detailed contents of the agreements have not been made public, but Zelensky mentioned joint drone production and technology sharing.

Analysts believe that for Ukraine, it is a very risky move to enter the arms market and get involved in a complex situation in the Middle East at this time.

“World-leading” air defense?

Zelensky has visited Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar in recent days. Earlier, the Ukrainian side had sent more than 200 anti-drone experts to the Middle East, with the main task of helping relevant countries guard against threats from Iranian drones and missiles.

On the 28th, Zelensky told reporters that during this Middle East trip, the Ukrainian side and regional countries discussed 10-year defense cooperation. It has already signed agreements with Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and it has also reached an intention to cooperate with the UAE, while working to finalize the details of the agreements. For Ukraine, these agreements are all “big deals.”

The contents of the agreements have not been made public. Zelensky has repeatedly claimed that Ukraine has “world-leading air defense capabilities.” He reiterated on the 28th that in professional technical fields, Ukraine has experience unmatched by any other country and can provide help that no one else can—this is “beyond doubt.” He also expressed interest in Gulf energy cooperation, saying that Ukraine needs to reach long-term agreements with regional energy powers.

In Europe, the Ukraine crisis has been comprehensively escalating for more than four years. Both the Russia-Ukraine sides have continued to exchange attacks with drones and missiles and intercept each other’s firepower. Multiple media outlets report that Russia’s drones are believed to be designed and manufactured based on Iran’s “Shahed” attack drones. In addition, Ukraine has already mass-produced its independently developed “Octopus” intercepting drone.

Since the United States and Israel launched military action against Iran on February 28, Iran has carried out retaliatory attacks against Israel and targets such as U.S. military bases in the Middle East using ballistic missiles and drones. Iran’s “Shahed” drones pose a “major challenge” to the U.S. military’s air defense systems. The U.S. military relies heavily on missile defense systems such as “Patriot” and “THAAD” to respond to aerial threats, but the interception costs are high, and the long-term consumption burden is heavy.

According to a report by Agence France-Presse, the fighting in the Middle East continues to spill over beyond the region. For Ukraine, the war pushes up international oil prices, benefiting Russian oil exports. On the other hand, the United States and its allies’ ammunition is consumed rapidly, which may drag down Western military aid to Ukraine, including air-defense missiles that Ukraine urgently needs. Ukraine has said it is willing to exchange its drone interception combat systems for air-defense missiles from the Gulf countries.

Heading into a “dangerous moment”?

Regarding Ukraine’s recent involvement in Gulf defense, Yevhen Magda, a political analyst at the think tank “World Policy Research Institute” headquartered in Ukraine, told Agence France-Presse that Ukraine’s diplomacy is entering a “dangerous moment.” International arms trading is complicated and subtle, and Ukraine in this market is only a “newcomer”—“it’s very difficult to achieve success just through one swift action or one overseas trip…”

On the 28th, the spokesperson for the Central Headquarters of the Iranian Armed Forces, Hattam an Baybia, said that it has “destroyed” a warehouse of Ukraine’s anti-drone system in Dubai, UAE, where 21 Ukrainians were stationed at the time. A spokesperson for Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs immediately denied the claim.

Earlier, the chair of Iran’s parliament’s committee on national security and foreign policy, Ebrahim Azizi, said that Ukraine’s provision of drone-related support to Israel has in reality pulled it into the war, causing the entirety of its territory to become a lawful target for Iran’s attacks.

Iran’s chargé d’affaires ad interim in Ukraine, Shahriar Mozdegar, emphasized on the 14th of this month that Iran has not participated in Russia’s military actions against Ukraine, but that Ukraine has “in effect entered a stage of direct confrontation with us.” (Chen Liqi)

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