Ukraine signs defence agreements with Gulf Nations eager to fend off Iranian drones

The Ukrainian president has hailed "historic" defence agreements with several Middle Eastern countries after his visit to the region last week. Volodymyr Zelensky has been seeking to capitalise on his military's drone-fighting prowess as countries like the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia continue to come under attack from Iranian drones and missiles.

Key takeaways

Quick scan — what you need to know:

• The Ukrainian president has hailed "historic" defence agreements with several Middle Eastern countries after his visit to the region last week.
• Volodymyr Zelensky has been seeking to capitalise on his military's drone-fighting prowess as countries like the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia continue to come under attack from Iranian…
• The president has insisted that any deal should also benefit Ukraine -- which is seeking expensive air defence missiles.

Background

What led here, in plain terms:

• Volodymyr Zelensky has been seeking to capitalise on his military's drone-fighting prowess as countries like the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia continue to come under attack from Iranian…
• The president has insisted that any deal should also benefit Ukraine -- which is seeking expensive air defence missiles.

Why it matters

Why readers and decision-makers should care:

• The president has insisted that any deal should also benefit Ukraine -- which is seeking expensive air defence missiles.
• The Ukrainian president has hailed "historic" defence agreements with several Middle Eastern countries after his visit to the region last week.
• Volodymyr Zelensky has been seeking to capitalise on his military's drone-fighting prowess as countries like the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia continue to come under attack from Iranian…