Zelenskyy meets UAE President, discusses West Asia security concerns

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the UAE and met his Emirati counterpart Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Saturday, to discuss regional security in the Middle East.

"For Ukraine, this is also a matter of principle: terror must not prevail anywhere in the world. Protection must be sufficient everywhere," Zelenskyy said in a post on X following his meeting with the Emirati leader.

He said they discussed "the security situation in the Emirates, Iranian strikes, and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which directly affects the global oil market."  The Emirates News Agency said the two leaders discussed "security developments in the region amid ongoing military escalation and their implications for regional and international peace and security, as well as their impact on international navigation and the global economy."  During his visit to Saudi Arabia a day before, Zelenskyy said the two countries have agreed to "an important arrangement" on defence cooperation.

 

Zelenskyy, in a social media post Friday, said the document "lays the foundation for future contracts, technological cooperation, and investment", providing no further details.

Drone combat experts from Ukraine, with over four years of experience in fending off Iran-manufactured drones used during the Russian offensive, are helping five Gulf Arab countries to counter Tehran's attacks, according to Zelenskyy.

Zelenskyy said last week that Kyiv is helping the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Jordan to counter drone attacks on their territory.