Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s March–April 2026 outreach to West Asia, including engagements with key Gulf States such as Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Jordan[i], as well as visits to Türkiye and Syria, signals a shift in Kyiv’s approach from a war-affected state to a more active external actor. By leveraging battlefield experience in countering drones and missile threats, Ukraine is attempting to position itself within the West Asia region’s security architecture amid the US–Israel war on Iran and deepening Russia–Iran cooperation.

Key regional actors, including the Gulf States, Türkiye and Syria, have adopted cautious and differentiated approaches to the Russia–Ukraine war, reflecting a preference for strategic flexibility amid evolving geopolitical uncertainties. The Gulf states have largely pursued a pragmatic, non-aligned posture, engaging both Kyiv and Moscow, while avoiding direct involvement, and in some cases, such as Saudi Arabia, offering mediation efforts in October 2024[ii] and, in the UAE’s case, successfully mediating a prisoner-of-war exchange on 11 April 2026.[iii]

Türkiye has pursued a balanced approach, supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity while preserving functional ties with Russia and positioning itself as a mediator. Syria, meanwhile, reflects a more limited engagement, maintaining working relations with Moscow while cautiously opening channels with Ukraine, indicative of a hedging approach shaped by its own security and reconstruction priorities.

Ukraine’s West Asia Outreach in Context

Ukraine’s engagement with Gulf and other regional states reflects an effort to export its war-derived defence capabilities, particularly to counter drone and missile threats. According to Ukrainian experts, ballistic missiles and drones currently pose the main threats in the West Asia region. In contrast, ballistic attacks can only be effectively countered by air defence systems. Ukraine has developed far more cost-effective solutions to tackle drones.[iv] The tensions are rooted in the expanding role of Iranian-supplied drones in the Ukraine conflict, with Kyiv attributing that 60,000 drones supplied by Iran have been utilised against Ukraine since 2022.[v] This has, in turn, driven Ukraine to seek partnerships with West Asian states to counter similar threats.

On 27 March 2026 in Jeddah, Zelenskyy met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to explore ways to deepen bilateral cooperation. They emphasised building a mutually beneficial partnership, particularly in defence. Respective defence ministries signed the ‘Arrangement on Defense Cooperation’, which is expected to facilitate future contracts, technological cooperation and investment.[vi] The agreement also positions Ukraine as a security partner, with commitments to support Saudi Arabia in strengthening its capabilities against aerial threats.

Moreover, Ukrainian military experts have been deployed in Saudi Arabia, identifying gaps and recommending measures to strengthen the protection of civilians against Iranian Shahed drones and missile threats. They had already shared Ukraine’s practical experience in safeguarding infrastructure, with discussions focusing in particular on improving air defence strategies and drone interception.[vii]

On 28 March 2026, Zelenskyy met the President of the UAE, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in Abu Dhabi to discuss cooperation on protecting lives. The UAE leader appreciated Ukraine’s expert support for many weeks, while Zelenskyy stressed the shared principle of countering threats. Both sides highlighted the need for long-term collaboration through investments, joint production and modernisation of protection systems for critical and social infrastructure, agreed to deepen cooperation in security and defence, and are finalising the details of related agreements.[viii]

On 28 March 2026, in Doha, Zelenskyy met the Amir of the State of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, to discuss developing integrated systems to protect lives and prevent the war’s expansion. Notably, the meeting culminated in a 10-year intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the defence sector, covering areas such as air........

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