Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed a defence cooperation agreement with Qatar during a visit to Doha, deepening Kyiv’s security ties in the Gulf as regional states scramble to counter Iranian drone threats. The deal marks the latest stop on Zelenskyy’s fast-moving Gulf tour, following meetings in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. For Kyiv, the trip signals a new geopolitical play: trading battlefield experience against drones for fresh strategic partnerships. Gulf Turns to Ukraine as Drone Threat Spreads Regional governments are increasingly turning to Ukrainian expertise as Iran intensifies aerial attacks across the Gulf following military operations against Tehran by the United States and Israel. Kyiv says Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait have all formally requested cooperation on counter-drone technology and strategy. Ukraine has already dispatched more than 200 specialists to the region, with dozens more heading to Jordan and Kuwait to strengthen air defence planning and infrastructure protection. Ukraine Trades Hard-Won War Lessons For Zelenskyy, the diplomacy carries a clear message: Ukraine’s brutal war experience is now a security export. After more than four years of drone attacks during Russia’s invasion, Ukrainian engineers and defence planners have built sophisticated interception systems. Kyiv says these systems can achieve extremely high interception rates against mass drone swarms. “Ukraine has relevant expertise,” Zelenskyy said, noting the country’s cities have faced relentless attacks throughout the war. Russia’s Drone Blitz Raises Stakes The urgency is underscored by the scale of the aerial war. Earlier this week Russia launched nearly 1,000 drones at Ukraine in just 24 hours — one of the largest strikes since the full-scale invasion began in 2022. Despite the barrage, Ukraine claims its air defences intercepted about 97% of incoming drones in the latest attack, a statistic Kyiv is now presenting to Gulf partners as proof of its technology’s effectiveness. Doha’s Quiet Diplomatic Leverage The agreement with Qatar also carries diplomatic weight. Doha has emerged as a key intermediary during the war, helping broker humanitarian arrangements between Kyiv and Moscow. Qatari mediation has facilitated the return of Ukrainian prisoners of war and dozens of children deported by Russia since the invasion began. For Zelenskyy, the Gulf tour is doing double duty: strengthening Ukraine’s global alliances while exporting the hard-earned lessons of Europe’s most intense drone war. Qatar and Ukraine sign defence agreement as Zelenskyy's Gulf tour shapes new partnerships
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