In a notable development amid ongoing Middle East tensions, Ukraine is leveraging its hard-earned experience in drone and naval warfare to support Gulf nations facing challenges in the Strait of Hormuz. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently concluded diplomatic engagements with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, resulting in new defense cooperation agreements focused on sharing counter-drone technologies and maritime security strategies.

These partnerships build on Ukraine’s success in protecting Black Sea shipping routes using innovative sea drones and layered air defense systems. Gulf states, dealing with disruptions to critical energy transit lanes that carry around 20% of global oil and LNG, have expressed interest in Ukraine’s battle-tested interceptor drones and electronic warfare know-how to enhance maritime security.