Ukrainian technologies are already protecting the Middle East. What unique experience is Zelensky bringing to negotiations with Europeans?
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Kyiv is preparing for negotiations with European partners on the creation of a joint air defense system.
This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing the President’s Office.
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“This week we will have a conversation with the Europeans – negotiations on the creation of a joint air defense system,” he noted.
Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine’s integration into the European security system is a matter of strategic choice.
“I am confident: either Ukraine will become an integral part of the European security system, or someone in Europe risks becoming part of the ‘Russian world,'” he stressed.
According to the president, Ukraine already has significant experience in countering air threats, particularly kamikaze drones, and is ready to share these developments.
“Radar fields, necessary electronic warfare systems, communication between air defense components, and the interception itself – all of this is within Ukraine’s capabilities,” the head of state noted.
He also mentioned that Ukrainian solutions are already being applied outside of Europe. In particular, interceptors are operating in the Middle Eastern and Persian Gulf countries, where Ukraine collaborates with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar.
The president added that other countries, including Turkey, Kuwait, and Oman, are also showing interest in Ukrainian experience, and cooperation in the field of security has an economic dimension.
“Ukraine is a global producer of strength and security, and that is how it will remain. And all of this is not a gift from Ukraine. Long-term security agreements in the Middle East are resources for our state annually; they are fuel for Ukraine, necessary in the conditions of global instability. This includes the types of weapons that we are lacking but that our partners have,” Zelensky summarized.
The expansion of Ukraine’s cooperation in air defense is occurring against the backdrop of growing interest in its military technologies from partners. As NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte noted, countries on the eastern flank of the Alliance and Persian Gulf states are already using Ukrainian solutions to defend against drones.
According to him, such technologies did not exist a year ago; however, Ukraine’s combat experience allowed for their rapid development. Now these developments are helping to protect infrastructure and save lives not only in Ukraine but also beyond its borders.
As early as the end of March, Volodymyr Zelensky reached relevant agreements with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar to counter Iranian drones. Additionally, requests for such cooperation have also come from other countries in the region, particularly Bahrain and Oman.
