Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday visited Saudi Arabia for the second time in a month, as Kyiv seeks to bolster security co-operation and advertise its battle-tested technology in the Middle East amid the Iran war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy meets Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, April 24, 2026. Saudi Press Agency
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday visited Saudi Arabia for the second time in a month, as Kyiv seeks to bolster security co-operation and advertise its battle-tested technology in the Middle East amid the Iran war.
Zelenskiy said he discussed defence, energy and food security co-operation during a "very productive" meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as the sides seek to develop a security agreement signed earlier.
"There is a strategic security arrangement that we are actively developing across three key areas," Zelenskiy said.
The Ukrainian leader said this included exports of Ukrainian military expertise and air defence capabilities, energy co-operation to help Ukraine, and food security.
Kyiv has touted its battle-proven solutions against Iranian mass drone attacks in various Middle Eastern nations since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran in February.
"Yesterday, at a meeting with European leaders, we secured financial guarantees for our resilience. Today, we are advancing our agreements with Saudi Arabia in the areas of security, energy, and infrastructure," Zelenskiy said on X upon arrival.
Zelenskiy did not mention the city, but Saudi state TV said he arrived in Jeddah.
During his visit to Saudi Arabia in late March, Kyiv and Riyadh reached an agreement on defence co-operation that Zelenskiy described as laying a vast foundation for future contracts.
Zelenskiy has said Ukraine's assistance is delivering results in the Middle East, and also offered Kyiv's expertise to help restore free navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Reporting by Ahmed Elimam, Yuliia Dysa and Max Hunder
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi was expected in the Pakistani capital Islamabad on Friday to discuss proposals for restarting peace talks with the United States, but Pakistani sources said he was not due to meet U.S. negotiators there.
Speaking at the World Policy Conference in Chantilly, the UAE's top diplomatic adviser delivered a blunt verdict on Tehran, and a striking signal of shifting regional allegiances.
Energy prices, the Strait of Hormuz and the Lebanon ceasefire dominate a summit that brings European and regional leaders face to face.
To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.