Ukrainian weapons are heading to the Middle East: Zelenskyy reveals details of the contracts
20 April 07:56
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine has already signed 10-year agreements with three key Gulf countries—Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar. He made this announcement on Telegram, according to "Komersant Ukrainian"
According to the head of state, this involves a cooperation format he called the “Drone Deal.” The president also noted that Ukraine has already received inquiries from 11 other countries in the Middle East and Gulf regions.
What exactly did Zelenskyy say?
According to the president, Ukraine has already agreed on long-term, 10-year cooperation frameworks with three countries—Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar. He also noted that within this Drone Deal, there will be at least 10 different agreements concerning the export of Ukrainian weapons.
Separately, Zelenskyy emphasized that the cooperation model is not limited to the supply of finished products. According to him, it also includes joint production, the construction of production lines in Ukraine and other countries, as well as the joint development of new technologies in which the partners will invest funds.
What is the Drone Deal
In fact, the Drone Deal is not a single contract but a system of several separate agreements in the defense industry. Zelenskyy’s statements suggest that this framework covers the export of Ukrainian weapons, localization of production, joint investments, and technological partnerships. In public statements, the president has mentioned at least 10 separate agreements within this framework.
Simply put, Ukraine is trying to sell not only ready-made solutions but also its own expertise, production models, and technologies, which have become particularly in demand during the war. This primarily concerns drones, counter-drone systems, and related defense solutions.
Why the Gulf States in particular
The interest in cooperation with Gulf states did not arise by chance. In March, Zelenskyy reported that Ukraine had shared its expertise on drone defense with its Middle Eastern partners and was also working with them in the security sector. At the same time, Ukrainian authorities declared their readiness to assist countries in the region in countering Iranian drones.
This means that the current agreements are a continuation of the contacts Ukraine had been building earlier: initially as a security and technological partnership, and now as a framework for long-term contracts and joint production.
Which countries have already been named
So far, the president has publicly named three countries with which 10-year agreements have already been reached:
- Saudi Arabia
One of the key states in the region with which Ukraine is developing security and defense cooperation.
- United Arab Emirates
The UAE is also on the list of countries with which Kyiv, according to Zelenskyy, has already agreed on long-term treaties.
- Qatar
Qatar became the third country that the president directly mentioned among partners within the framework of the 10-year cooperation model.
What is known about other countries
Zelenskyy said that Ukraine has already received inquiries from 11 other countries in the Middle East and Gulf region. However, the president did not publicly disclose the full list of these countries in the cited reports.
The second part concerns Europe. Work has already begun with Germany, Italy, Norway, Sweden, and the Netherlands.
“Of course, we have good relations with Britain and France,” the president said.
Why this is important for Ukraine
1. This provides long-term funding for the defense sector
Zelenskyy stated that there is an agreement on funding a specific amount per year and a fixed number of years of cooperation. For the Ukrainian defense industry, this means more predictable production planning and capacity utilization for years to come.
2. It’s not just about exports, but also scaling up production
This involves the deployment of production lines both in Ukraine and abroad. This could mean a broader presence of Ukrainian companies in foreign markets and the creation of joint production facilities.
3. It is the conversion of combat experience into international contracts
Over the years of full-scale war, Ukraine has accumulated practical experience in drone technology, countering unmanned aerial vehicles, and rapid defense production. The president’s statements indicate that the state is attempting to turn this experience into an export product and a source of investment.
Is this just about drones?
Not exactly. Although the initiative is called the Drone Deal, Zelenskyy himself speaks more broadly—about the export of Ukrainian weapons, co-production, and new technologies. In other words, drones are a key part of this initiative, but not necessarily the only one.
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