Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday that he had arrived in Saudi Arabia and would hold "important meetings", part of an effort to bolster ties with Middle East countries amid the Iran war.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy meets Deputy Governor of Makkah Region Prince Saud bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz during his visit to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, March 26, 2026. Ukrainian Presidential Press Service
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday that he had arrived in Saudi Arabia and would hold "important meetings", part of an effort to bolster ties with Middle East countries amid the Iran war.
Kyiv is offering its air-defence expertise and drone technology to countries in the region reeling from Iranian strikes. It hopes in return, Zelenskiy has said, for support in its war against Russia.
"Arrived in Saudi Arabia. Important meetings are scheduled. We appreciate the support and support those who are ready to work with us to ensure security," Zelenskiy wrote on X.
Rustem Umerov, the head of Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council, accompanied Zelenskiy on the visit.
Ukraine has sent teams of experts to Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, Zelenskiy said recently, and wants money and technology in return for the assistance.
With the war against Russia now in its fifth year, Ukrainian forces face a new spring offensive by Moscow as U.S.-backed peace talks have stalled.
Reporting by Yuliia Dysa
Yemen's Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi said on Thursday that all Saudi oil and other vital facilities would be targets for the group's missiles and drones if Riyadh escalated its involvement in the conflict.
The US State Department announced Wednesday it had approved a potential $1.96 billion arms sale to Saudi Arabia, as hostilities intensify across the Middle East.
Yemen's Houthi movement fired missiles at Saudi Arabia after accusing the kingdom of bombing an airport under their control on Monday, breaking a four-year truce in the conflict between the kingdom and the Iran-aligned group.
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.