Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held a working meeting with the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, Rustem Umerov, during which they discussed the results of the first stage of work in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf region.
This is reported by Finway
Ukrainian Experience for International Security
According to the head of state, international partners highly value Ukraine’s military expertise, and the combat experience of Ukrainian soldiers is becoming an important component of defense for friendly countries. Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine is ready to promptly support states that back its independence, particularly in matters of protection against strike and other types of drones in the air, as well as in addressing security tasks at sea.
“It is important that Ukrainian military expertise is recognized, and the combat experience of our warriors becomes a strong part of our partners’ defense. Every nation deserves security, and we are ready to promptly and effectively support those who support our state and independence. This pertains to protection against strike and other types of drones in the sky, as well as addressing security tasks at sea.”
Expanding Cooperation and New Security Agreements
The President emphasized that Ukraine’s experience in the Black Sea can also be utilized in other key maritime routes. Currently, Ukraine is negotiating with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Jordan, Turkey, Syria, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain regarding security cooperation. Additionally, Kyiv has received requests for interaction with Iraq.
Discussions also concern opportunities for joint work with countries in the Caucasus, as well as states in Eastern and Southeast Asia. Zelensky noted that Ukraine is receiving substantial requests from African countries regarding security.
The President reported that preparations are underway to conclude new security agreements with European partners, and concrete results are expected soon. Zelensky instructed Rustem Umerov to finalize the projects of several new security agreements and prepare them for signing, without disclosing which specific countries are planned for the agreements.
It is worth noting that earlier, Zelensky announced a report from the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council regarding the outcomes of negotiations with Middle Eastern and Persian Gulf countries about exporting Ukrainian security capabilities, as well as reported an increase in interest in such cooperation in Asia.
At the beginning of March, the president stated that Ukraine would assist Middle Eastern countries in defending against Iranian attacks, and Ukrainian experts would work directly on-site. According to Zelensky, as of mid-March, 201 Ukrainian specialist in countering Iranian “Shahed” drones was already in the Middle East and Persian Gulf region.
The world is feeling the effects of the energy crisis caused by the war in the Middle East. Due to hostilities in the region, the streets of cities are plunged into darkness, and industrial enterprises are forced to halt operations.