This handout photograph released by the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) shows Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky (center L) and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa (center R) during their meeting in Damascus on April 5, 2026. The visit follows Zelensky's trip to Turkey on April 4 and a Gulf tour the week before against the backdrop of the war in the Middle East, where he sought to clinch security deals and exchange Ukrainian drone expertise for air defence missiles. (Photo by SANA / AFP via Getty Images) / XGTY / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / SANA" - HANDOUT - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS

SANA/AFP via Getty Images

On April 5, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met in Damascus with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to discuss the developments around Iran as well as Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. They also discussed defense and security issues, during which Ukraine and Syria “pledged greater security cooperation.” The meeting with Syria followed Zelenskyy’s visits to Turkey as well as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, where Zelenskyy discussed defense and security issues with leaders from these countries. While meeting with officials from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, the Ukrainian president also signed long-term military cooperation agreements with these countries. Finally, aside from these new defense partnerships, Ukraine has deployed drone expertise to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, as well as Kuwait and Jordan, as these countries seek to counter Iranian strikes amid the Iran War. In exchange, Ukraine has sought air-defense missiles so that it can use them to counter Russian missile and drone strikes.

The diplomatic engagements made by Zelenskyy and Ukrainian officials with their counterparts in various countries in the Middle East suggest that Ukraine is expanding its outreach efforts while also offering in-demand services. Throughout the war in Iran, the Iranians have launched Shahed drones and other attacks on countries in the Middle East that have U.S. bases, such as Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. To date, the BBC has reported that 13 U.S. service members have been killed, and that nearly 1,400 civilians have been killed in the Middle East due to the ongoing war in Iran. As countries in the Middle East look to protect their civilians from Iranian drone and missile attacks, they have turned to Ukraine, a country that has experience countering Shahed drones.

Throughout Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Russians have used Shahed drones to target civilian areas in Ukraine. To counter these attacks, the Ukrainians have designed inexpensive interceptor drones. This technology has allowed the Ukrainians to destroy Shahed drones while also protecting Ukrainian civilians.

Given Ukraine’s experience in combating Shahed drones, countries in the Middle East have requested access to Ukraine’s drone defense and technology. The Gulf states have taken an interest in how Ukraine has incorporated interceptor drones into Ukraine’s air defense capabilities. In response, Ukrainian authorities said they were willing to help. While speaking with their counterparts in various Gulf states, Ukrainian authorities have noted their interest in securing deliveries of PAC-3 interceptor missiles for Ukraine’s Patriot systems.

It is not the first time countries have called on Ukraine for access to new drone technology. According to reports by the Center for European Policy Analysis, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, and France 24, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Denmark have invited Ukrainian drone manufacturers to establish production facilities to gain access to Ukrainian drones. These European countries are hopeful that this technology will bolster their defenses. Given these developments in European drone manufacturing, Ukraine is hopeful it can offer its drone expertise to countries in the Middle East.

Ukraine’s engagement with the Gulf states is also timely as the Ukrainians seek to bolster their defenses. According to a report published in February by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, U.S. military aid to Ukraine fell by 99%. Additionally, the report noted that there were “no new allocations for humanitarian or financial support” to Ukraine recorded in 2025. Furthermore, reports by The Washington Post and Reuters in March noted that the U.S. Department of Defense may divert defense aid to the Middle East, leaving Ukraine without additional defense assistance. As the situation in Iran continues to develop, it remains to be seen how it will impact U.S. involvement in the Middle East and future defense assistance to Ukraine.

Meanwhile, in December 2025, the European Union agreed to provide a new €90 billion loan package for Ukraine, including defense and financial assistance in 2026 and 2027. But Hungary then blocked the loan to Ukraine in March. This has left Ukraine without the assistance it needs to defend itself against ongoing Russian attacks.

Due to the developments in the U.S. and the EU, the Ukrainians have turned to other countries for defense and financial assistance. Since countries in the Middle East have requested assistance to combat Iranian drone attacks, Ukraine has viewed these new defense relationships as mutually beneficial. Countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE will gain access to Ukrainian drone technology, which will allow them to protect their citizens when combating Iranian drone attacks. In return, Ukraine has sought to secure air-defense missiles and security cooperation amid Russia’s ongoing invasion.

Ukraine’s defense partnerships in the Middle East have expanded its diplomatic footprint in the region as well. Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, nearly 80 countries around the world have provided hundreds of billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine. This has included humanitarian, medical, and financial assistance. Ukraine has also sought to broaden its base of international support throughout the Russia-Ukraine War. For example, as Ukraine currently engages with countries in the Middle East, this has helped bolster its defenses as it continues the fight against Russia. The defense deals that Ukraine has signed with countries in the region are also for several years, suggesting that the partnership will not be temporary.

As the situation in Iran and the Middle East continues to develop, policymakers and security experts will be keen to see how events unfold and what impact the war will have on the region. Developments in Iran and the Middle East will not only impact the region, but they will also have implications for the Russia-Ukraine War. Ukraine’s offering of drone defense and technology to countries in the Middle East as they defend themselves against Shahed drones will help Ukraine secure the economic and defense aid it needs as it continues its fight against Russia.